Dear Friends,
United with each one of you in prayer and love. I have remembered you in my Mass today. The Mass Intentions, for Monday 6th April is for Mary Newham, RIP
Gospel Reading – John 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 litre of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic spikenard 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 moneybag 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 Gospel of the Lord
My dear friends we have entered into Holy Week, the week of the Passover of Jesus, and His passing from this world to the Father. The liturgy today places before us the beginning of chapter 12 of the Gospel of John. In this passage leading up to the Passion at the end of the week, we see a woman named Mary anointing the feet of Jesus and he tells those with him that she will need this ointment again for his burial. While Judas was indignant at the ointment being used in this way, Jesus sided with Mary because the intention in her heart was pure and well placed. This reading also prepares us for the betrayal by Judas later this week. Meanwhile, the chief priests continue to plot his death!
When you hear this Gospel being read and the amount of money spent on the ointment, what’s your thoughts?
Is Mary right to buy the ointment or Is Judas right, to complain and think of the poor?
What would you do and Why?
My friends place yourselves in the place of Mary and Judas and allow God to speak to your heart this holy week Monday!
Remember Jesus looks at the heart that loves him and he knows that, the heart that loves him; is pure and the heart that is just paying lip service?
Let us stay strong and safe, united in love and prayer with you all. Fr John