THE DAILY GOSPEL

March 21, 2016 (Monday)

Monday of Holy Week Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)

Ps 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14 The Lord is my light and my salvation. 1st Reading: Is 42:1-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.

I have put my spirit upon him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

He does not shout or raise his voice. Proclamations are not heard in the streets.

A broken reed he will not crush, nor will he snuff out the light of the wavering wick. He will make justice appear in truth. He will not waver or be broken until he has established justice on earth; the islands are waiting for his law.

Thus says God, Yahweh, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread the earth and all that comes from it, who gives life and breath to those who walk on it:

I, Yahweh, have called you for the sake of justice; I will hold your hand to make you firm; I will make you as a Covenant to the people, and as a light to the nations, to open eyes that do not see, to free captives from prison, to bring out to light those who sit in darkness. Gospel: Jn 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus, the dead man, to life. Now they gave a dinner for him, and while Martha waited on them, Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus.

Then Mary took a pound of costly perfume, made from genuine spikenard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Judas Iscariot—the disciple who was to betray Jesus—remarked, “This perfume could have been sold for 300 silver coins, and the money given to the poor.” Judas, indeed, had no concern for the poor; he was a thief, and as he held the common purse, he used to help himself to the funds.

But Jesus spoke up, “Leave her alone. Was she not keeping it for the day of my burial? (The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have me.)”

Many Jews heard that Jesus was there and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests thought about killing Lazarus as well, for many of the Jews were drifting away because of him, and believing in Jesus. Reflection:

It has often been noted that love often inspires people to do things which, seen from the angle of cold reason, are downright unreasonable. And this applies not only to romantic love, but also to the love that binds a parent to a child, a friend to a friend, a citizen to a country, a disciple to a master.

In today’s gospel reading we witness such an unreasonable action inspired by pure love. In a gesture of extravagant lavishness, Mary of Bethany anoints the feet of Jesus, her beloved Master, with a costly perfume worth, in the estimation of Judas Iscariot, “300 silver coins,” that is, a year’s salary for an unskilled laborer—a huge sum of money. When she is criticized by Judas for her outrageous wastefulness, Jesus defends her: she is only anticipating his impending funeral, he explains.

When is the last time I did something extravagantly generous for God? Something which reasonable people would call unreasonable—but which God would warmly praise? When did I last throw caution to the winds, burn my bridges, go “all the way” for the love of God?