Monday 7 September 2020

ST. JOHN 12: 1-11

 

                                                               

St. John begins this first of the last chapters of his Gospel account – his love letter really to us about his Beloved Jesus, with a simple and powerful word: Then…..[v.1]

It is as if, with use of the simple yet evocative word THEN, all to this point has been an extension of his opening Prologue and now, given the events and words which follow from chapter 12 to the end of chapter 21, which reveal in detail the entire grace of metanoia-redemption Jesus brings to us, offers us when encountering and being attentive to Him we follow, with obedient hearts of love for Him, the Father’s gift to humanity in need of redemption and healing: to those who did accept Him He gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. [1:12-14]

Then, 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. [v.1,2]

A convivial scene revealing how complete Jesus dwelt among us and, given it is in the context of a family meal, reminds us that He still dwells among us in the Eucharistic meal where in fact intimacy with Him is even greater than that experienced by those with Him in Bethany for when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion we receive our glorified Beloved who comes to dwell within us.

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. [v.3]

Perhaps a small but deeply significant mention here of St. John 11:2. In the lead up to Jesus restoring Lazarus to life St. John notes: It was that Mary who anointed the Lord…….This shows how all the events St. John witnessed in the life of Jesus remained very much top of mind, perhaps more accurately ‘top of heart’ as he teaches us all about Jesus, gives us Jesus’ words.

St. Matthew in 26: 6-13, St. Mark in 14:3-9, and St. Luke in 7:36-50, like St. John give us this event and words of Jesus.

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.” [vs.4-8]

St. Matthew adds to the above: “Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of, in memory of her.” [26:13] As does St. Mark: 14:9.

There was love in her boldness, repentance in her tears, sacrifice and surrender of self in her ointment. [1]

Now a great many of the Jews found out that He was there; and they came, not only because of Jesus, 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. [vs.9-11]

How very human that people would come, not as an act of faith, rather out of curiosity. However, the Holy Spirit can even use curiosity about Christ to stimulate reflection and open-heart reflection often is the first step on the journey to conversion.

Contrast that with the collective megalomaniac hatred of the chief priests murderously choosing to kill Christ, whom they hate, but Lazarus as well whose only crime is being a living testimony to the power of Christ’s love restoring His friend to life.

No gang of thugs, no oppressive regime, no group of murderous zealots is made up of human beings born as a litter, like pups or piglets.

We are all born as individual persons who become either selfless loving of other adults, as exemplified by our parents, or emotionally deformed haters, if we have lived as children surrounded by haters.

Given the visceral reaction to Jesus by those who from His first public words, His first healing miracle, hated Him so much, what influenced them as children to the extent they never go beyond the disconnect between their self-righteous piety and their murderous hatred?

Perhaps, in these days of the pandemic and the extreme divisions and anger amongst people in numerous countries, we would all do well to reflect upon how exactly I see, react to, think about other: as Jesus does or like some latter day chief priest or Pharisee.

 

 

[1] LIFE OF CHRIST, Fulton J. Sheen; p.122; Image Books, 1990

 

 

© 2020 Fr. Arthur Joseph

 

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