{To prepare me for burial} (pros to entaphiasai me). Mary
alone had understood what Jesus had repeatedly said about his
approaching death. The disciples were so wrapped up in their own
notions of a political kingdom that they failed utterly to
sympathize with Jesus as he faced the cross. But Mary with the
woman's fine intuitions did begin to understand and this was her
way of expressing her high emotions and loyalty. The word here is
the same used in  Joh 19:40  about what Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus did for the body of Jesus before burial with the
addition of pros to showing the purpose of Mary (the infinitive
of purpose). Mary was vindicated by Jesus and her noble deed has
become a "memorial of her" (eis mn(886d)osumon aut(8873)) as well as of
Jesus.