April 2, 2012: Monday of Holy Week

Read It:
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.
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.
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."

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, 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.

Reflect on It: Today, we see that Mary, took costly perfume and anointed the feet of Jesus. She knew who he was and she honored him! Jesus is only a few days away from being put to death and she took the time to see him to stop and anoint his feet. In the midst of holy week, the holiest week of the year, are we stopping to see Jesus and to spend time with him?

Pray about It: Lord, let me see you this week! Help me to journey with you this holy week. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Go to mass today and every day of this Holy Week.