Gospel Reading for April 14, 2025 – John 12: 1-11
JESUS FIRST
Monday of Holy Week
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.
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Jesus was very close to the family of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. As a matter of fact, when he learned that Lazarus died, he wept (John 11: 35). Remember that in Luke 10: 40-42, Martha was complaining that Mary was not helping her with the food preparations because she was at the feet of Jesus, listening intently to him. Jesus told Martha, that Mary chose the best part – listening to Jesus. Probably, Mary, who was so used listening to Jesus, must have sensed that Jesus’ time was coming soon that’s why she anointed the feet of Jesus with very costly perfumed oil.
Although mundane things or chores are part of our daily life, listening well to Jesus which we find in the New Testament is very important as Jesus will give meaning to even ordinary things we do, will help us discern priorities, and will give over-all direction in our life. If we put JESUS FIRST in our lives, everything else we do will fall in their proper/right places.
Lord Jesus, let us consciously put you first in our lives so that whatever we do, whether ordinary or not, may be an offering of love to the Father!
