Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always

 

And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to  purify themselves.  Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, "What do you think -- that He will not come to the feast?"  Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him. 

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.  There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.  Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"  This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.  For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

 

- John 11:55-12:8 

 

On Saturday, we read that many of the prominent people from Jerusalem who had come to Mary in order to mourn Lazarus, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.  But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.  Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do?  For this Man works many signs.  If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."  And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."  Now he did not say this on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.  Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.  Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

 

 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to  purify themselves.  Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, "What do you think -- that He will not come to the feast?"  Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.  This is the third Passover which is mentioned in John's Gospel (see also 2:13, 6:4).  This third and final Passover in the Gospels is the setting for the last week of Christ's earthly ministry.  It will be narrated to us in careful detail over the chapters that follow.  My study bible says that Jesus had already been glorified through His signs and words; now it remains for Him to be glorified through His death and Resurrection.  It notes also that because Jesus is the Lamb of God (1:29), the connection between the Passover, when lambs were slaughtered to save the Jews from death (Exodus 12:1-13), and the death of Jesus, which saves humankind from sin and death, is continually emphasized. 

 

 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.  There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.  Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"  This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.  For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."  My study bible emphasizes that the other disciples said the same thing that Judas said, but with a completely different motivation (see Matthew 26:6-13).  Judas spoke from greed, but the other disciples spoke from the virtue of charity.  That Jesus put a thief in charge of the money, it adds, shows that by every means He attempted to save Judas:  He fulfilled Judas' lust for money; He allowed Judas to exercise apostolic authority (6:11; see also Mark 6:7); He will wash Judas' feet with the other disciples at the Last Supper (13:5); and He will also allow Him to partake at the table of the Mystical Supper on the same occasion (13:26).  But Judas could never overcome his greed (Matthew 26:14-16).

I'm struck by the evil that surrounds Jesus, especially in the fact that at this point the leaders have given out an order that whoever spots Him should report it, so that they can seize Him.  It's as if they have issued a Wanted poster for Him.  They have given a command, the text says to us.   In the midst of this hostility from the leaders who hold power in the society as a whole, there are those faithful who nevertheless love Christ and do not hesitate to show us.  Since so many came from Jerusalem to mourn with Martha and Mary (and Saturday's reading specifically mentions Mary -- see above), I think the text indicates that Lazarus' family is also well-known, and prominent enough so that many came to them from Jerusalem to mourn, and hence witnessed the raising of Lazarus.  While those who hunt Jesus at the Passover festival represent the people in that they are the religious leaders, what we see is the importance of individual acts of faith in the anointing by Mary.  She is showing her love and devotion to Jesus, and even though virtually all of the disciples misunderstand the importance of what she does (see especially Matthew 26:6-13), Jesus nevertheless explicitly corrects them.  In Matthew 26, He tells them both what we read here, and more:  "For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.  For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always" (Matthew 26:12-13).  It tells us that we are never to underestimate our acts of kindness and those motivated through love for Christ.  It also lets us know that it is Jesus who is the ultimate judge, and He who understands what is truly in the heart.  For we are not judged by the grandiosity of a deed, but rather by the depth of what is given through an understanding of the heart.  (Let us remember here the story of the widow in Luke 21:1-4).   It's possible I read very much into this text, but it seems that Christ is giving the highest praise He can.  Moreover, it is clear that at least He stands in deep appreciation of the gift; it is meaningful to Him, and it makes a great difference in the context of where He is going and what He is going to endure over the course of the next week and through His Passion.  And at the same time that we see the great gift of Mary, and the true love in her heart for Christ, we also observe Judas.  Judas says words that are nominally good, but his motivation is all wrong, and his perspective is selfish.  Even though the other disciples, ostensibly with good motive, criticize Mary, they also are mistaken and are corrected by Jesus.  So essential is the understanding of the heart to true judgment, that the Gospels give us this story exalting Mary for her act of love and true charity.  From the beginning, we're told, Jesus has known that one of those whom He has chosen is not entirely "right" in his heart. Just after Peter's confession on behalf of all that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God," John 6:70-71 tells us, "Jesus answered them, 'Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?  He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve."  Perhaps we are to understand something more about judgment and the human soul, that no matter how great the kindness and grace shared with each person on the part of Christ, those who choose to reject this grace and love are still free to do so.  It may teach us personally that simply loving and kind behavior on our parts, no matter how well-intentioned or correct, is not enough to change another.  Each person has their own capacity to choose for love, just as Mary chooses for love, and the leadership among the Council choose to put Jesus to death and to reject the thought of even entertaining to hear His Gospel message, although there are others on the Council -- and they are prominent members as well -- who will come to discipleship and faith in Christ.    This is a highly significant teaching, for it tells us about the heart and the ways of the heart.  Perhaps this is our Creator teaching us that we must exhaust all possibilities of helping others.  Indeed, the Church does not expel nominal members, but always hopes for salvation for all (excommunication from the sacraments is not the same thing as expelling members).  In the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43), Jesus gives us an image of the world.  Even as we live side by side, so the weeds, which so closely resemble the good wheat, are growing side by side with the wheat.  It is a parable about judgment, which Christ says will take place at the end of the age.  Judas forms an image of which the weeds may be symbolic, in that he so closely resembles a devoted disciple.  But he has grown a particular way, and he will follow through to the end as one who does not accept the word of Christ.  But let us consider that in the fullness of our faith, we consider Christ to have descended into hades before ascending into heaven, and even so Judas remains with the possibility of repentance when he will meet Christ there.  The world is a puzzling and strange place, not least of which because of the mystery of human hearts and our capacity for belief:  that is, both for faith and the rejection of faith.  Christ comes into the world offering grace and love, but not everyone accepts this truth, nor the energy and present reality of grace.  We, as human beings, remain free also to reject, with hearts that may make choices to do so.  But in the midst of the world, there is also Mary and the saints who will follow her.  There are all the angels which serve God, and those who pray with the saints.  There is grace abounding.  So, once again, as we have observed in our recent readings and commentary, the world works within the realm of Christ, a created place which is an adornment of the heaven (for this is the meaning of the Greek word "cosmos" which so often indicates the whole world in Scripture), and we are placed in the midst.  Let us consider that even while we know there is Judas, we may also be those who love Christ like Mary, and nothing another does can take away that reward of love for a heart that remains capable of discerning and living in grace.  In a world filled with hate and rejection, we can still be the one who follows in the footsteps of Mary.  We can love Christ and share in her place as beloved of Christ.  And the world cannot take away that "good part" that we have chosen.