The Gospel Reading of Monday of Holy Week (John 12:1-11) describes what Jesus did on the six days before Passover (John 12:1). It also means the six days before his death, as he was crucified and died on the day of preparation for Passover (John 19:31, 42). His corpse had to be removed and buried before sundown of that day because Passover began upon sunset.
Featuring Mary in this Gospel narrative, an
important message is “serving with love”.
Jesus with his disciples were at the house of Mary,
Martha, and Lazarus, in Bethany, six days before Passover celebration (John
12:1), meaning that six days prior to the death and the burial of Jesus, as he
died on the Cross and was buried on the day of Passover preparation, the day that Passover began with sundown
(John 19:31, 42). Prior this occasion, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John
11:1-44), and it was the sixth sign that Jesus performed. He also visited Mary
and Martha, and it was when Martha kept herself busy serving, while Mary sat by
feet and listened to him (Luke 10:38-42).
This time, Mary was not sitting by Jesus’ feet and
listening to him. Instead, she kept herself busy in anointing his feet with
very expensive fragrant ointment and dried them with her hair afterward (John 12:3).
And Martha served dinner (John 12:2), as she did before (Luke 10:40).
What is significance of Mary’s service to Jesus six
days before his death?
It was said by Jesus in defending her service of
anointing for him when Judas complained this anointing as “wasting money”
because the money used for the ointment could have been used to care for the
poor (John 12:4-6):
Leave
her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial
(John 12:7).
John indicates that Judas’ motive to complain about the expense of the anointment that Mary used to anoint Jesus’ feet was not to care for the poor but it had do with his greed (John 12:6).
The ointment that Mary used to anoint Jesus’ feet
was quite expensive, and this was for sure. And her service to Jesus pointed to
his corpse being treated with expensive myrrh mix with aloe (John 19:39).
Furthermore, this was also an projection from the time when the Magi brought
myrrh, along with gold and frankincense (Matthew 2:11), signifying Jesus as the
King with gold, as the sacrificial offering with frankincense, and for his suffering
and death with myrrh – reflecting his royalty with gold, divinity with
frankincense, and humanity with myrrh.
In a way, Jesus not only having his feet anointed
with fragrant ointment by Mary and eating dinner served by Martha, reflects the
last rites, three-fold Sacramental rites, consisted with confession, viaticum (Eucharist to go on the last
journey), and anointing.
Since Jesus has no sin, he had no need of
confession. Instead, Jesus was speaking, perhaps, of his plan of actions for
his last six days to his companies at the dinner table, while Mary was
anointing his feet. However, Judas tried to disrupt this significant ritual
because his heart was not for Jesus but only for himself. And that made him prone to have Satan enter in him (Luke 22:3; John 13:27).
Mary must have “sacrificed” her savings to purchase the
anointment for Jesus. Rather than positioning herself on a high position, not
even sitting at the dinner table, Mary was under the table, applying the
ointment on Jesus’ feet and drying it with her hair. This symbolizes Mary’s humility
and love in her service to Jesus.
Do you have humility and love to serve Jesus as Mary
did? She listened to Jesus when Jesus wanted someone to listen to him (Luke
10:38-42) and took her action of service with humility and love when Jesus
needed (John 12:1-11). This is why Jesus defended her on both occasions (Luke
10:41-42; John 12:7).
Do you know what Jesus needs from you before you
would serve him?
You need to listen to him first to figure it out.
The First Reading (Isaiah 42:1-7) is drawn from the
first servant song (Isaiah 42:1-9) out of four servant songs in the Book of Isaiah.
Jesus, whom Mary served in preparing him to complete
his prophesized service to his Father, is Lord to us and is servant to the
Father.
Jesus came to serve (Matthew 20:28//Mark 10:45) and
he taught how to serve one another with love as his disciples (John 13:1-20,
31-35).
This is Holy Week. Jesus has already entered into
Jerusalem to consummate his public mission, which started upon his baptism and
fasting (e.g. Matthew 3:13-4:11). For this mission, he was anointed by the
Father (Acts10:38; cf. Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1). And, as its completion drew
near, he was anointed by a humble and loving human, Mary of Bethany.
For the rest of Holy Week, except for Holy Thursday,
the First Readings (Isaiah 42:1-7; Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Isaiah
52-13-53:12) are drawn from the servant songs in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah
42:1-9; 49:1-13;50:4-11; 52:13-53:12), as Jesus is about to finish his service
to the Father for us.
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