Bible Reading
[John 12: 1-11]
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

 

Reflection
- The Lord of the universe has given us everything – he has created us in his Image; he has constructed a marvelous masterpiece of a world for us to gaze upon and see his fingerprint; he has sent us prophets and teachers even after we sinned against him; finally, he sent us his only Son to die for our sins.

- The Son, the perfect Image of the Father, imitates the Father in everything, and he continues to give us everything. In the end, as the Father gave us his Self in the form of the Son, the Word made Flesh, the Son also gives us his very Self in the form of Bread, taking from his creation an ordinary thing and making it into his own Presence.

- What love! Imagine a husband that is not satisfied with showing his wife his love through mere words, or with mere worldly gifts! No, his love is too intense, too deep to be captured in such small ways. He gives his wife everything he has – he gives his life; he dies for her. Thus the heavenly Bridegroom has loved his Bride, and even more greatly. He gives his Bride his very Self, his very Body, so that he may live in her and she in him. Nothing else satisfies the intensity of the Divine Love.

- What have we given back to our God, who has given us so much? Nothing satisfied the Lord until he gave us everything he had. How little do we give to him in return? How easily are we satisfied? How easy is it to say “enough?”
 
- We give an hour a week at Mass, and perhaps complain about the single hour if it becomes an hour and five minutes, or if it is five degrees too warm. Perhaps we refuse even this hour if it is raining or if we are tired. We are saying, with our actions, “God is worth an hour a week, but not if it is inconvenient.” How lost we would be if God though of us in the same way!

- We give him his hour a week. Then perhaps, if we grow, we give him another few minutes of prayer every day. Then that becomes “enough.” We may give even of our money, to the poor or to the Church, and the few dollars becomes “enough for God.” A few minutes and a few cents are “enough” for the God who has given us every moment of our lives and every penny.

- Nothing is enough. Nothing was enough for God. Nothing was enough for Christ. Everything is what he gave us – everything including himself. And we are bothered if someone suggests we go to Mass more than just on Sundays, or pray more than just a few minutes a day, or give more than a few dollars a week.

- Look at Mary of Bethany: she may have had little or much, but she gave all she had. Costly perfume – three hundred days’ wages worth. A pound of it. Poured out without hesitation and without regret, upon the feet of Jesus. The very best of what she had, given to the Lord for his use.

- There are two questions which arise, then: First, do we even have anything so precious to give to our Lord? Are our souls so valuable? Do they have such a beautiful scent? Or do they stink with sin? Then perhaps we should let the Lord take away the stench and make us clean with his grace, so that we can give our souls back to him with a perfumed scent.

- Secondly, after he has taken our souls and made them lovely in his grace, how much do we give them back to him? Do we pour out every ounce, or do we hold back? Mary of Bethany did not hold back when she gave to Christ. Christ did not hold back when he gave to us.

Hymn – OUR FATHER, WE HAVE WANDERED
Our Father, we have wandered and hidden from your face;
in foolishness have squandered your legacy of grace.
But now in exile dwelling, we rise in fear and shame,
as distant but compelling, we hear you call our name.

And now at length discerning the evil that we do,
behold us, Lord, returning with hope and trust, to you.
In haste you come to meet us and home rejoicing bring,
in gladness there to greet us, with calf and robe and ring.

O Lord of all the living, both banished and restored,
compassionate, forgiving, and ever-caring Lord,
grant now that our transgressing, our faithlessness may cease,
stretch out your hand in blessing, in pardon and in peace.