Give To The Needy

Monday of Holy Week 

Isaiah 42:1-7
John 12:1-11

On this Monday of Holy Week, we continue our journey with Jesus during His last days before His Hour of Glory: His death & resurrection. Our 1st reading (Is 42:1-7) points to the person of Christ who is the fulfillment of the covenants made so long ago. We could see the reading as God dedicating His Son to the work He is about to accomplish.

The gospel passage is leading up to the Passion at the end of this week. Today we see a woman named Mary the sister of Lazarus in appreciation and love anoints the feet of Jesus.

She took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment” (John 12.3). In the context of the gospel, this is an anointing for his approaching death and burial.

Judas Iscariot is shocked by the waste of money involved in the spectacular event and protests. On the part of Judas, he presents his case in a way that appeals to the higher motivations of the disciples, and which masks his greed.

The perfume is worth a year’s wages. It could be sold, and the money given to the poor. It should be sold but will he do it right that can only be said by the one who knows the intentions of our hearts. Such embezzlement is a selfish heart, a heart that loves money.

The evil is still beyond his greed and that is betrayal. This is a major contrast between a true disciple and one who is in a privileged position but substituted faith and obedience with selfishness, greed, and betrayal. Jesus eventually silenced him and pointed out this evil in his heart.

There is a connection between the fragrance in the air from the oil perfume and the Paschal mystery. In the first, Lazarus suffers the ordinary death of humanity, which is associated with stench, but Jesus reverses that (John 11:43) as he enters the tomb and rises from the tomb to grant man eternal life.

In the second, it is in Lazarus’s own house that a woman prepares Jesus for his death, using a glorious smelling ointment that multiplies recall the holiest images of the Temple and its religious practice and the restoration of Mount Zion in the heart of mankind. Thus, the overwhelming perfume of eternal life destroys the stench of death. The house (heart) becomes God’s dwelling place.

How are we maximizing our opportunities to be with the Lord? How many times do we bring our gifts to the Lord- gifts for his place of worship? Is our intention in the Church genuine? Do we embezzle funds for charitable deeds? Are you sincere in your pious acts? How far did you relive the spirit of Lent? Are you following in the footsteps of the master to bear your cross just as He carried our burdens away.?

Jesus too was fearful of His death, but He willingly embraced it because His focus was on the fulfillment of His Father’s will to save all peoples. As we begin our Holy Week reflection, we too must learn to embrace God’s will and try to live in His ways and overcome our fears and doubts in life. Amen.

PRAYER

May God send His Holy Spirit upon us, so that we can follow in His example in giving loving service to others. May He help us to be humble servants, not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less often, and thinking of others more. And may we joyfully give to others even when it is painful, just as Christ did. Amen.

Fr Joseph Osho