Isaiah 42: 1-7,
Psalm 27: 1.2.3.13-14,
John 12.1-11) Full Readings
Saint Crescentia Hoess
Let us imitate Mary's act of Charity to Jesus
Brethren, as we enter fully into the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ through our observance of this Holy Week and walking with him, let us stop and reflect, where has Jesus done great wonders in my life, and how have I really shown gratitude to him? Of course the biggest sacrifice is still to come, that's to die for us on the cross, but there are also many things he has done in our lives by which he deserves our gratitude. This is an invitation not to be like Jews who have seen what he has done as a son of God, but could not be grateful and finally killed him, it's an invitation to be like Mary who anointed Jesus with the most expensive ointment one can ever think of in those days.
Today, let us Reflect on the actions of Mary, Jesus and Judas as presented in the Gospel.
The actions of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus with the most expensive ointment of 300 denarii (this was the wage for 300 days as one day would generally be paid with one denarii) and wiping his feet with her hair is an extraordinary action of love. Mary really showed love to Jesus because Jesus had done many things in her life, and had shown her love but above all she knows who Jesus is, the Lord. She therefore wants to make him the centre of her life, the centre of worship and adoration and love him unconditionally that even the expensive ointment is not enough to show that love, she has to use her hair to wipe.
Can you think of what you have done to the person you love most, the special person in your life, he or she deserves this. More reflectively, think of how you have been grateful for Jesus in your life. What have you done special for him? Of course Jesus is not here physically for us to anoint him like Mary, but we can do it to our fellows, that is: his chosen messengers , priest and religious, the poor, and all people; by sheltering then, giving them good, drink, clothes helping them when in need, visiting them, inviting them for dinner, and showing all kinds of charity for doing so we are doing not to them but to Jesus, for whatever you do to the rest of my people, that you do unto me(Mt 25:40). More so to learn from Mary is to make Jesus the centre of our worship, our adoration, our love and our everything that even the riches if this works will not stop us. Is Jesus the centre of our life?
Secondly, we see the actions of Jesus. Firstly was with his friends visiting them and dining with them, even those who were considered sinners as he always did. It was his mission to identify himself with such people to deliver justice, liberation to all the sinners, oppressed and marginalised. He did this in an extraordinary way, that's , *nonviolence* and this is a real servant of God in which Isaiah talks about in the first Reading. It's an invitation for us too to use non violence in fighting for Justice. We also see Jesus' response to the action of the woman and Judas. Jesus also desires love, he loves us and wants us to love him in return, by any actions we would show. Jesus said, leave her alone, she had to keep this event for the day of my burial. You have the poor always with you but you will not always have me. Jesus' statement would sound egoistic but it's not. Firstly it's to disapprove the Judas statement not to be real, for it was said out of greed and secondly prophesying his death, and since he is to die soon, his friends have to say farewell to him. Despite all our needs and busy schedule, let's always find time to give back to Jesus, and to be with him unconditionally like Mary.
Lastly the action of Judas dwells mostly in our world today. Judas saying the ointment was to be sold and money given to the poor, was disapproved of by Jesus to be an egoistic statement. It was for his own good not really the poor as his life of money was uncontrollable. One of my friends told me that all good actions are oriented to an egoistic goal, for instance you can do good to gain fame, or win elections,not win favor even after a long time. I couldn't agree with him, but sincerely speaking there are those people who speak good, do good things, but with a hidden motive, not for the good of others but his or her own good. This is very dangerous and today Jesus warns us against that. Let speaking good and doing good be from the heart, for good of others and expecting no gain in return. This is a true calling of Christian Life and Jesus who said let your left hand know not what your right is doing.
As Lent is ending, we are going to give out what we fast to the needy, of which u encourage all of us to do it, let us five from our hearts not as an imposition from the church or anything else. Let us not show off but give with humility expressed by Mary in the Gospel today. Let us not be like Judas who even went ahead to betray him. Finally during this holy week let us be near Jesus and bring to him all we have that at conquering death he may conquer our burdens too.
Let us pray.
"Give us, Lord, a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of you. Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation, dullness in prayer. Give us fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace, your tender compassion towards me. The things we pray for, good Lord, give us grace to labor for: through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Sir Thomas More, 16th century)
Have a blessed Holy Week and stay blessed
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