Monday of Holy Week

March 21, 2016 8:30am

Readings: Isaiah 42.1-7

John 12.1-11

There is one detail that I want to comment on in today’s gospel.

Jesus’ friend Mary anoints his feet with some expensive perfumed oil.

This is an act of courtesy and of respect in that culture.

Judas complains that the money spent on the oil should have been given to the poor.

Jesus responds: “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The first part of his response -- “You always have the poor with you” – is really a quote from the Book of Deuteronomy.

At first glance we might interpret Jesus’ words as meaning that praying or even building expensive churches is more important than caring for the poor.

However, the very next sentence of the passage from Deuteronomy that Jesus quotes is: “That is why I command you to open your hand to your poor and needy.”

So, Jesus has already made our care of the poor and hurting the number one priority.

He says this in chapter 25 of Matthew when he teaches that whatever we do for the least among us, we actually do for him, and those who care for the least among us will enter his kingdom.

So this previous teaching and the context of today’s quote help us to understand what Jesus really means.

He is saying that our faith in him and love for him must lead us to care for those in need.

And, in turn, our care for those in need leads us to Jesus because we are to see him in them.

This is also the message conveyed a few days after today’s incident when Jesus’ washes the feet of the apostles’ at the Last Supper.

So, Jesus’ statement here needs to be understood carefully in all its richness.