MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK - Gospel (John 12:1-11) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
FIRST READING - Is 42:1-7
"He will not cry out, nor shout, nor make his voice heard in the street."
A reading from the Book of Isaiah
1 Here is my servant[a] whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased.
Upon him I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry out, nor shout,
nor make his voice heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed[b] he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench.
He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow dim or be bruised
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands[c] will wait for his teaching.
5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and its produce,
Who gives breath to its people
and spirit to those who walk on it:
6 I, the Lord, have called you for justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
7 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 - Jn 12:1-11
"Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial."
✠From the Gospel according to John
1 [a]Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. 3 Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus[b] and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 Then Judas the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, 5 “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages[c] and given to the poor?” 6 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. 7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.[d] 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
9 [The] large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, 11 because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.
MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK - Gospel (John 12:1-11)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear people of God,
In today’s Word of God, God desires that all humanity turn toward Jesus Christ as the purpose and the central focal point of human life.
God lovingly guides our eternal life, bought at the price of humanity’s death through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, so that we may attain eternal life.
The plan for Jesus’s death and resurrection was preordained for the salvation of humanity.
Yet, only those who truly understand Jesus Christ- who are intimately united with Him, who listen to Him, and who remain by His side- can truly fathom the heart of His love and the mercy He holds for humanity.
Through the life and death of Lazarus, He desired to reveal to humanity beforehand that He is all in all: He is the Life, He is the Alpha and the Omega, He is the beginning and the end of all mankind.
And through Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet, He reveals to humanity that we must love God above all else—loving Him with all our soul and all our mind—for it is only in Him that eternal life is granted to humanity.
In everything we do, we must always orient ourselves toward God, placing Him at the very center of our being and making Him our inheritance and our King, as the one who leads, directs, and sustains our eternal life.
Love for God springs from within the soul, heart, and mind of every human being- expressed through our thoughts, actions, gestures, words, and deeds, God sees through it all.
No one can hide anything whatsoever from Him!
Therefore, through today’s Word of God and through the action of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet, He calls upon us to love Him sincerely, from the depths of our hearts outward.
Be true to Him and true to our neighbor; do not conceal anything from Him. Do not profess love for Him outwardly while inwardly failing to love Him, not listening to His Word, and neglecting to put His teachings into practice.
God knows all things, and through the signs of our love for Him, He will grant us eternal life.
If anyone merely claims to love God but does not practice His Word from the inside out, that person will not inherit eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven with God the Father.
Just as the chief priests, scribes, and the scholars of the law claimed to follow the Mosaic Law while acting to the contrary, refusing to believe in the teachings of Jesus, seeking to oppose Him, kill Him, and casting His words out of their lives—these Pharisees and scholars did not sincerely love God.
They failed to orient their lives toward Him, nor did they make Him the center and the all of their being.
Likewise, in today’s world, there are those who claim to love God and to observe His laws perfectly, keeping all ten commandments, yet they do not love God or their neighbors, and they fail to uphold the laws of charity and love from the inside out.
For instance, at the House of God the Father, where “the Real Presence Word of God” calls upon everyone to live in love and to observe God’s laws from the inside out with reverence and obedience toward Him, they face persecution from authorities and those in power seek to harm, exclude, and suppress those who follow God the Father’s plan—those who fast, sacrifice, pray, and live according to God’s teachings.
These oppressors are like the Pharisees, scribes, and scholars of the law who seek to harm the Lord, refuse to listen to the Word of Jesus, and seek to kill Him.
Today’s Word of God warns those seeking to oppose God through the Real Presence Word of God, including the Word of God spoken by Satan which is confirmed by the Real Presence Word of God, as well as the words through the angels, saints, and souls sent to guide humanity in living a life pleasing to God and living in a way that is worthy of attaining eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Such individuals will have to give a heavy account before God when their souls depart their bodies and stand before the Seat of Judgment.
Thanks be to God. Amen
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