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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