"Preparing"
Mike Metcalfe
Thursday, March 18, 2010
John 12:1-8
12Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
Preparing
In this passage Mary and Judas are shown as complete opposites. However, I believe they are both preparing themselves for Jesus to die on the cross. Mary is showing love, compassion and intimacy with Jesus by anointing his feet. While Mary is trying to bring Jesus closer to her before he is crucified Judas is doing the complete opposite. I believe that Judas starts become harsher and starts going against Jesus in the coming weeks because without knowing it he is trying to make the betrayal easier on himself. By pushing Jesus away and creating the feeling that Judas dislikes Jesus’ ideals will make it easier for Judas to betray Jesus to his death. I think during this time of Lent we should all try to be more like Mary, showing our love and loyalty to one another through actions.