MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK - Gospel Jn 12:1-11 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the Book of Isaiah

Is 42:1-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one with whom I am pleased,

Upon whom I have put my Spirit;

he shall bring forth justice to the nations,

Not crying out, not shouting,

not making his voice heard in the street.

A bruised reed he shall not break,

and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,

Until he establishes justice on the earth;

the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spreads out the earth with its crops,

Who gives breath to its people

and spirit to those who walk on it:

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,

I have grasped you by the hand;

I formed you, and set you

as a covenant of the people,

a light for the nations,

To open the eyes of the blind,

to bring out prisoners from confinement,

and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 12:1-11

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,

where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,

while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil

made from genuine aromatic nard

and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;

the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,

and the one who would betray him, said,

"Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages

and given to the poor?"

He said this not because he cared about the poor

but because he was a thief and held the money bag

and used to steal the contributions.

So Jesus said, "Leave her alone.

Let her keep this for the day of my burial.

You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,

not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,

whom he had raised from the dead.

And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,

because many of the Jews were turning away

and believing in Jesus because of him

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Six days before Passover, Jesus went to the village of Bethany. He went to Mary's house to eat there. An event happened: Mary brought the most precious perfume to anoint Jesus' feet. This work foretells everyone that the upcoming death of Jesus Christ is part of God's plan for salvation.

Mary is a person who lives a life pleasing to God. She was always at God's feet to listen to His teachings. It was because she had a heart to love God and listen to God's Word that Jesus later gave her a preview of her Master's burial, through what she did, bringing the most precious perfume to anoint His feet and she also used her hair to wipe God's feet.

That is proof that she loved God very much. Because she felt God's love for her, through His forgiveness for the sins she committed, she was converted and transformed into a new person. Because of her conversion back to God, Jesus allowed her to anoint His feet with perfume, a gesture that foretold His death.

At dinner in that house, Jesus was at the center. When He saw Mary's actions out of love for Jesus, a thief, Judas Iscariot, reprimanded her: "'Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages and given to the poor?'"

When Judas said this, it became clear that his true self was a liar, a man who loved money, and considered money more important than his own Teacher. This image also shows in this world, that there are also many people who are deceitful, love money, value money more than God Himself, and Jesus said to Judas: "'You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.'" The message God wants to convey is that those who have experienced and realized that God is truly present by their side, should return and love God with their whole hearts.

In addition to the image of Judas Iscariot, there are also images of Jewish leaders who crave power and position. They are always jealous of the good deeds of Jesus. In today's Gospel, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, this is a miracle, because no human being can do this except God. But because of the jealousy of the world's people, the Jewish leaders sought to kill Jesus and also kill the innocent man, Lazarus. This also shows Satan is raging throughout the world; it wants to destroy Jesus Christ Himself and God's good children and those who believe in Him.

Through the images in today's Gospel: Mary, Judas Iscariot and the Jewish leaders, people see that God gives people the freedom to choose their own way of life. One is to live according to the image of Mary, to love God above all things, to fear Him above all. And God is everything to that person. Second, living according to the image of Judas Iscariot and the Jewish leaders, God gives freedom. He does not force people to believe in Him.

But He wants people to choose one of the two, because no one can serve two masters. Whoever is wise should choose to love God above all else, to have eternal life with Him in Heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.