March
25, 2024, Monday in Holy Week
MONDAY, after
all of the joy and excitement of Palm Sunday, sees
Jesus back in the town of Bethany. On the previous Saturday, Jesus came
to raise his friend Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus had been dead in the tomb
for four days, and his sisters Mary and Martha were in anguish. Now on
this day, Jesus returns to a dinner by Martha to see Lazarus and enjoy a
meal among his closest friends. Mary decides to welcome him ~ in the
traditional way of hospitality of the time ~ by cleaning and
anointing His feet but instead of a simple washing, she uses an exquisite
ointment known as Nard. Then she dries His feet with her hair.
One of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, makes a snide comment about
the expensive perfumed ointment that Mary used saying that it could have
been sold and the money given to the poor. He didn’t care about the poor. He
was in charge of the money and also a thief skimming money for himself off the
top of whatever had been donated to the group of Jesus and his disciples.
Jesus, supportive of Mary's actions, told Judas that Mary had
purchased the jar of Nard in preparation for Jesus' own death and
burial and that, "You always have the poor with you but you
do not always have me."
Meanwhile, a great crowd was assembling to see Jesus and
Lazarus together. The chief priests were not at all pleased at this
development, especially after throngs of excited people along the entry route
into Jerusalem the day before. They decided that they would put both Jesus and
Lazarus to death. All that was being said of the miracle of raising of
Lazarus were turning Jews away from the religious authorities of the Synagogue
toward this Jesus. The chief priests felt their own power threatened by this
new and very powerful prophet.
Have you ever really experienced the tension of
this week because of knowing the outcome? Try to imagine it. Listen, hear. Be there. Immerse
yourself in the Gospel of Mark 14:1-15:47 over this week. Live into them.
Attend the Stations of the Cross in person or online. Also be present for
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Be here in our own time, with
mounting tension in this country and around the world, with political executions
and increasing violence. Think about racing through a favorite mystery to
find out whodunit, or almost biting your nails in a thriller movie not knowing
the end. The clock is ticking...
Sweet Jesus,
On this Monday in
Holy Week, the Gospel speaks of You relaxing at dinner with friends and
being pampered as we go about the busy-ness of everyday life. How unaware are
we today, as were the disciples on that day, of the significance of this week
in our own lives as Christians?
The Sanhedrin were plotting
against You, and we are making lists of necessities for Easter Day,
including bunny-shaped chocolates and marshmallow peeps in brightly
colored baskets with plastic grass and hard-boiled eggs dyed in multiple
colors. Where, in this country and in the world at large on this day in our time are
executions, official and individual, being planned and carried out against
innocent people? How many unknown women, men, and children will be brutalized for their
religious beliefs, their race, gender, ethnicity, who they love, or
simply because they seem to be a threat to some person or group
in power?
Grace us with Your spirit
Lord, let us Your followers, hear and pay attention to that still
small voice inside that tells us to take a moment today
to Give Up a few minutes of our ordinary Monday to Take
On truly reflecting on what the events of Holy Week, and especially
Easter Day, mean to us in our faith journey. Pray for insights
and opportunities to make even a small yet positive difference in someone’s
life today and often.
Remind us
to give thanksgiving for the ordinary parts of a day that make
up an extraordinary life for the many of us that don't have to fear
murderous persecution. Help us to remember and realize, today,
why it is that we're privileged to be gathering fun fillings for an
"Easter Basket?"
It's only Monday
and much more than shopping and preparing an Easter Feast is yet to come during
this very sacred, Holy Week. amen.
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