Jesus at Bethany

APRIL 10, 2017
Holy Monday
1st Reading: Is 42:1–7
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 nard and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Judas, son of Simon Iscariot—the disciple who was to betray Jesus—remarked, “This perfume could have been sold for three hundred silver coins and turned over 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.)”
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
Monetary value made Judas protest when a woman poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. “This perfume” Judas declared, “could have been sold for three hundred silver coins and turned over to the poor.” Only half of his statement is true. He was not actually concerned about the poor but about how much he could pilfer from the proceeds. Now we understand why Jesus ignored Judas’ representation. Taking Judas seriously would have amounted to legitimizing the use of the plight of the poor for corrupt motives. Jesus is pro-poor and he wanted to show that there is a more decent way of treating them.
Today, poor people are still exploited. Some politicians, for example, consider them very useful during elections. Some civic organizations use them for fund raising purposes. Many other groups need them for their hurriedly organized yearend feeding and dole-out activities. Yet the plight of the poor hasn’t improved. Only the name of the poor has changed. They are now called marginalized. They have remained poor despite all sectors reaching out to them. That is because many of these sectors pretending to help them have their eyes fixed on some opportunities for gain.
The season of Lent is a time to reconcile with the Lord. But the condition for that reconciliation is non-negotiable. We must be responsive to the needs of the poor with a genuine concern not tainted with corrupt motives or interests. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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