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

 

 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."

 

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor."  And they criticized her sharply.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone.  Why do you trouble her?  She has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for 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."  

 

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money.  So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

 

- Mark 14:1–11 

 

In our present readings, Jesus has been preaching to His disciples about what are called the "end times," and prophesying the things to come at the end of the age (starting with Saturday's reading).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pas away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"

 

  After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."  My study Bible tells us that the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins with the Passover meal on the evening of 15 Nisan (on the Jewish calendar) and lasts seven days (Exodus 12:12-20).  Together, these feasts commemorate Israel's liberation from slavery in Egypt.  The word 'Passover' refers to the angel of death "passing over" Hebrew homes when killing the firstborn of the Egyptians, for the Jews had put lamb's blood on their doorposts (Exodus 12:13).  In the Church, we understand that this Passover was fulfilled in Christ, whose blood was shed in order to free humankind from bondage to sin and death.  

 

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor."  And they criticized her sharply.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone.  Why do you trouble her?  She has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for 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."  My study Bible comments that Jesus accepts this honor from the woman in her newly found faith.  In particular, He accepts it was a sign of His coming burial.   But, according to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible says, the disciples were not wrong in principle: mercy which is shown to the poor is more fitting than outward signs shown even to God (Matthew 25:40; James 1:27).  Nonetheless, they didn't understand that once the gift had been given, it was a greater mercy to accept it with love.  My study Bible quotes St. Chrysostom as follows:  "If anyone had asked Christ before this woman did this, He would not have approved it.  But after she had done it, He looks only to the gift itself.  For after the fragrant oil had been poured, what good was a rebuke?  Likewise, if you should see anyone providing a sacred vessel or ornament for the walls of the church, do not spoil his zeal.  But if beforehand he asks about it, command him to give instead to the poor."  One might wonder how Jesus would dine in the home of a leper; my study Bible explains that Simon the leper must have been healed by Jesus earlier, for lepers were forbidden to live in towns.  There are similar events told in all four Gospels (see also Matthew 26:6-14; Luke 7:36-38; John 12:1-18).  According to certain patristic opinion, these four accounts include the experience of three different women; some others teach that there were only two. 

 

 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money.  So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.  My study Bible remarks here that Judas on his own initiative seeks to betray Jesus.  His motives have certainly been debated over time, but if we look at patristic opinion and liturgical hymns, we find that greed is given as his underlying motivation.  This is also what we're given in Scripture, for in John 12:4-6 it's stated that Judas was upset in particular about the "waste" of myrrh by the woman in the preceding story because he was a thief (see also 1 Timothy 6:10).  We remember this betrayal by Judas on Holy Wednesday, in which many liturgical hymns contrast his greed with the women's generosity in her anointing of Christ.  In the Orthodox Church, my study Bible adds, it's a tradition dating back to the first century (see the Didache) that Christians fast on most Wednesdays of the year in remembrance of the ways in which we, like Judas, may betray our Savior through our own sinfulness.  

 

 In the generosity of this woman, we find an expression of love, and also much more.  If we take a close look at the Gospels, one thing that really stands out about Jesus is His compassion, and His various -- even surprising -- expressions of compassion.  In fact, it seems like this quality is a major distinguishing quality about God which Jesus as incarnate Son teaches us through His life and ministry.  He has power and authority, He can make incredible miracles happen, He can heal and cast out demons, He has loyal followers and an astonishing ministry.  But maybe what truly distinguishes Jesus in His divine identity (and of course, as a human being also) is His compassion.  The Gospels distinctly tell us on various occasions that His inspiration for one or another miraculous occurrence is due to the fact that He is moved with compassion.  In St. Mark's Gospel alone, we're told that, because He was moved with compassion, Jesus healed a leper through touch (forbidden by law), healed a man possessed by a legion of demons, fed a multitude in the wilderness from a few loaves and fishes (twice -- once He fed 5,000 men, and another time it was 4,000 men, plus more women and chidren), and another time He healed a possessed young boy who could not be helped by His disciples (see Mark 1:41; 5:19; 6:34; 82; 9:22).  But in this story of the woman who anoints Christ with the expensive oil, we see something unusual happen, and that is that a human being, a woman, one described in other accounts as perhaps a notorious sinner, has compassion on Christ.  She shows compassion to God, in this sense, and Christ receives her generous compassion graciously, teaching us all a great lesson.  Perhaps we should see this story through that distinguishing lens of our capacity for compassion and the exercise of its expression in our lives when we have an opportunity to do so.  For her generosity to Him is a mirror of His own generosity to us, and so He rewards her richly.  It is perhaps with great poetic understanding that she, too, will be honored with a memorial wherever the gospel will be preached.  For, after all, she has fully expressed what Jesus preaches in His gospel.  In the parable of the sheep and the goats (the parable of Judgment), the one thing that distinguishes the sheep from the goats, as Jesus tells it, is that the sheep have made expressions of compassion (see Matthew 25:31-46).  In other words, it is such expressive action that will save us and place us with those righteous who go to eternal life with Christ, as He tells the story Himself.  Let us also mirror Christ in His compassion, and be what He calls us to be, just as does this woman whose memorial is here in the gospel message, with Him, as it is preached in the whole world.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God

 

 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:  Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.  

 

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.  And they were healed.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. 

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

"Blessed are you poor,

 For yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled. 

 Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

 And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man's sake.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

 

"But woe to you who are rich,

 For you have received your consolation.

Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,

For you shall mourn and weep.

Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets."

 

- Luke 6:12–26 

 

Yesterday we read that it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that Jesus went through the grainfields.  And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands.  And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"  But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:  how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?"  And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."  Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught.  And a man was there whose right hand was withered.  So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.  But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here."  And he arose and stood.  Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing:  Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?"  And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. 

 

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  My study Bible comments that Jesus, being the Son of God, does not pray as if to obtain grace or revelation from the Father.  But instead, according to St. Ambrose of Milan, Jesus, as the Son of Man, Jesus prays as the Advocate for humanity (see 1 John 2:1).  He spent all night in prayer before choosing the twelve apostles.  According to St. Theophylact, this teaches us that before choosing a candidate for any spiritual ministry, we should pray that God will reveal to us the one suited for the task.  

And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:  Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.  My study Bible comments that the titles disciples and apostles are often used interchangeably for the twelve.  In the Greek of the New Testament, the word translated as disciple literally means "learner," and the word from which we derive apostle means "one sent out" (as on a mission).  The names of the Twelve aren't identical in all lists, as many people had more than one name.  Here, as in St. Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 10:1-4), the names are given in pairs, perhaps suggesting who might have traveled together on their first missionary journey -- as Mark reports they were sent out two by two (Mark 6:7).  

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.  And they were healed.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.  Let us note the great amount of followers Jesus' ministry has now amassed to itself.  They come not just from Galilee, where His ministry began, but also from all Judea and Jerusalem, and even from the Gentile region of Tyre of Sidon.  Jesus stands on a level place, ready to deliver what is known as the Sermon on the Plain.  

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said . . .   Here Jesus begins what is known as the Sermon on the Plain.  It is similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7), although it is not as extensive.  My study Bible comments that Jesus repeated many of His teachings over a period of three years. Note that He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, directing this Sermon toward them.  This is His gospel which those who are chosen as apostles will be sent out to deliver to the world.

 

"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."  My study Bible explains that blessed in this context indicates heavenly, spiritual exaltation rather than earthly happiness or prosperity.  In Hebrew, it says, "poor" means both the materially poor, and the faithful among God's people.  So, the poor in spirit are those with the heart of the poor, the same attitude as the poor, and retain a sense of dependence upon God. 

 

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled."  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus blesses those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness."  These, my study Bible says, are the people who see the presence of God and God's kingdom as the most important thing in life.  This means they have a desperate craving for what is right before God, comparable to a starving person's craving for food. 

 

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."   Those who weep are those who sorrow over the sufferings of the world, and also their own sins which contribute.  All of these shall laugh in the joy of God (John 15:11), both in this age and in the one to come.  My study Bible says that holy sorrow is part of repentance, conversion, and virtuous action, and is the firstfruit of infinite joy.  It's to be distinguished from ungodly sorrow, which is a sadness that leads to despair (see 2 Corinthians 7:10). 

 

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!  For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."   Those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs, my study Bible says.  It notes that Christians accept persecution joyfully, knowing that the rewards of the Kingdom far outweigh any sufferings on earth.  See Acts 5:40-41.

 

 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets."  Here Luke, in contrast to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, reports four "woes" not found in that account.  Woe, my study Bible comments, is an indication not merely of sorrow, but of unspeakable destruction (Isaiah 5:18-24; Amos 5:18-19; Revelation 12:12).  Those who prize the vices listed here, according to St. Cyril of Alexandria, are liable to the "utmost misery"; however, they find hope when they sacrifice their earthly blessings in showing mercy toward others.  

This portion of Christ's Sermon on the Plain, taken in its entirety, gives us a certain perspective on what can be called repentance within the Christian tradition.  Jesus gives us a perspective on our lives which challenges a conventional worldly perspective, asking us to have deeper insights, and particular ways of looking at life beyond the surfaces of what we know and see.  In this sense, in repentance as "change of mind" (as the Greek word for repentance used in the Gospels literally means), we are asked to take on the mind of Christianity.  The promises Christ makes are the promises of the Kingdom, the way of being in the world but not of it that Christ preaches to us.  The poor may be those who are materially poor, but it is far better understood in the mind of the Church that those who are "poor" in this sense are those with the perspective of the poor, primarily understanding their dependence upon God, and also practicing gratitude for the good things of life we have.  Regardless of what we have and don't have in life, the things that we have come to realize or the things we think we lack, or are disappointed at in life, ours is indeed the kingdom of God.  For the kingdom of God is for those who truly want it.  We may be hungry for all kinds of things, but God is present to fill us with the things of God and the Kingdom, and to help to guide us in our lives for what we need and the life Christ has for us.  We weep over the sadness and injustice in the world, but there is joy in Christ, and joy in the things we are capable of doing and the love God can teach us, with which we can be filled.  If we suffer for the sake of our faith in Christ, consider how many may live without a fulfilling sense of mission or purpose, or who suffer needlessly and senselessly for what gives no lasting reward.  Christ's "woes" are a way of teaching us what it is we can work for, even slave for, but which can disappear into meaninglessness, or be unfulfilling in a deeper sense.  Life in the Kingdom even as we live in this world, is about pursuing the beauty of God's life for us, the identity Christ gives us, the image of life and values we are capable of grasping that teach wisdom and a fitting purpose, no matter where we find ourselves in life on worldly terms.  If we can but grasp it, this is the gospel message given for our lives and for love of humankind.

 

 

 

 

 

And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just

 

 Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  

 

Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  

 

"So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

 

- Luke 14:12-24 

 

On Saturday, we read that it happened, as Jesus went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.  So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

 Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  My study Bible comments that this instruction is based on the manner in which God treats us, although not one of us could possibly repay God (see Luke 6:30-36).  Regarding Christ's words, "you shall be repaid," see Luke 10:34-35.

 

 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  My study Bible comments that this man unwittingly declares the ultimate beatitude.  The truth in his words can come only through an understanding of the bread to be eternal communion with God.  

Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'"  Here Jesus begins a parable which operates on two levels.  My study Bible says that these two levels illustrate both the fist and second coming of Christ.  He is the servant who's sent to gather many.  Supper is an indication that it is evening; in other words, the end of the age.  The people who are first invited are the Jews, then all humankind. 

 

"But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"  My study Bible explains that in patristic commentary these three excuses are seen as having both a literal and spiritual meaning.  The literal meaning is that many are too attached to worldly cares to accept the Kingdom of God (Luke 8:14, 14:26, 18:29).  St. Ambrose, it says, sees the three excuses of I cannot come as representing Gentiles, Jews, and heretics.  The Gentile is devoted to earthly wealth represented by the piece of ground, the Jew's enslavement to the five books of the Law by the five yoke of oxen, and the heretic's espousal of error by the man refusing on account of his wife.  Theophylact, however, more generally associates these excuses with people devoted to earthly concerns, to things which pertain to the five sense, and to all the pleasures of the flesh.  

"So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"   Here my study Bible comments that those in the streets and lanes indicate first, the Gentiles who accepted Christ after the faithless Jews rejected Him, and second, those outside the Church replacing those within who have rejected their own baptism.  The apostles would be sent out into the streets and lanes and highways and hedges of all the world, to preach the gospel. and their successors continue.

 

On Saturday, we read the first part of Christ's teaching to the people who sat at table with Him in the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees.  In it, He taught about humility, and the need for a guest to display humility.  In the first part of today's reading, He continues by addressing His teaching to hosts:  "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  This parable also teaches us about humility, but in a different sense.  He asks those who are in a position to host others to consider condescension -- not in the colloquial way we have of speaking that renders condescension an act of smug superiority, but in the sense that to be gracious is the highest and best prerogative of those in a position to host others.  That is, those with wealth and position enough to do so.  In the West, we are mostly affluent enough so that inviting others to a dinner or supper is common; nor is it required of us to be an ostentatious occasion.  But nevertheless, Christ's teaching applies to all of us.   Just imagine, instead of inviting people we hope to receive something back from, we invite those who have no way to repay us.  Jesus teaches these impressive guests at the dinner in the ruler's house to invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  These are people who don't have much status to offer in return to those who invite them to their table as guests.  These are the people who, in Christ's time. would certainly find it difficult to earn much wealth or status in the society.  But Jesus gives a deeper hint here of an important principle that is more than our conventional understanding of laudable acts of charity.  Jesus is teaching us a principle that hooks us in to even the mysteries of the Cross, and one that plays a role in each of our lives and where we will spend an eternity at the resurrection of the just.  In this teaching, He gives us a mystery of what it is to sacrifice; that is, to give something up for the sake of the kingdom of God, and for love of the Lord.  In essence, He's teaching us that this is a kind of investment, something that is stored in "money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys" (Luke 12:33).  This is what the Cross is all about, it is the deepest mystery of how we can give something for the Kingdom and reap what God gives us in return, and in this sense we will be blessed in the depth of that mystery.  For we are all meant to take up our own crosses in following Him, and each has a harvest of repayment in ways we don't know and cannot foresee.  This is how we put our heart in the place it needs to be:  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).  St. Chrysostom taught a lot about understanding our wealth as that which also belongs, in God's sight, in the stomachs of the poor, giving thought to more than what we can acquire purely for ourselves.  It's God's logic to find our treasure where God's blessedness is for us, in the places where we follow Christ's word first.  This is how we will eat bread in the kingdom of God. 

 

 

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 people from Jerusalem who had come to Mary when mourning Lazarus, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him (see this reading for the raising of Lazarus).  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 our 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 this he did not say 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.   My study Bible tells us that, because Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 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.  This is the third Passover of Christ's earthly ministry, and it is the final year of His earthly life. 

 

 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.  Jesus comes early toward Jerusalem as pilgrim for the Passover, and arrives in Bethany which is east of Jerusalem, and the home of His friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.  (See John 11 for the story of the raising of Lazarus, Christ's seventh and final sign given in John's Gospel.)  As noted above, this is the third Passover mentioned in John's Gospel (see John 2:13; 6:4), and frames the setting for the final week of Christ's earthly life (Holy Week).  The following week will be given to us in careful detail.  My study Bible comments that Jesus had already been glorified through His signs and words; at this stage it remained for Him to be glorified through His death and Resurrection.  Note that Martha served, in keeping with the consistent portrayal of her character in the Gospels.  Lazarus is now a person who is the object of tremendous attention from both the people and the religious authorities (as we will read in tomorrow's lectionary reading); here he sits at table with Christ, clearly alive and well.

 

  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 comments that the other disciples said to the same thing Judas said, but with a very different motive (see also Matthew 26:6-13).  Judas spoke from greed, it notes, while the others spoke from the virtue of charity.  That Jesus had put a thief in charge of the money, it says, shows that by every means Jesus attempted to save Judas:  He fulfilled his lust for money; He allowed Judas to exercise apostolic authority (John 6:11; see also Mark 6:7); He washed Judas' feet with the other disciples (John 13:5); and He allowed him to partake at the table of the Mystical Supper (John 13:26).  But Judas could never overcome his greed.

Given our recent readings and commentary, perhaps the first thing we might notice is once again the contrast between these two sisters.  Martha, the one consistently portrayed by the Gospels engaged in active service, serves her guests at the table.  But Mary is silent in today's reading; she's not reported saying a word but takes a pound of very costly oil of spikenard in to the place of this supper.  One might suppose that a pound of such costly ointment would truly be very high in value; however, it is more the quantity that seems quite impressive here.  An entire pound of any type of essential oil is a very large quantity, and there is no doubt of that the fragrance surely filled the house.  Spikenard, according to this article, is made from a type of plant related to honeysuckle.  Mary's astonishing act needs no speech; it is so eloquent that it speaks for itself.  But Jesus does speak up for her, and declares that "she has kept this for the day of My burial."  To save an anointing oil for burial must have been quite an act of love in and of itself, a testimony to the depth of friendship among these people, and to Mary's reverence for Jesus.  For such oils were used to prepare a body for burial, a final loving act.  Indeed, the first ones to receive the good news of Christ's Resurrection will be the women who come to Christ's tomb to anoint His body for burial, and they are known as the Myrrh-bearing women to us in the Church.  But this Mary, perhaps knowing already what is to come (perhaps she is aware the religious leaders already plot against Him), and that it is the result of His raising her brother Lazarus from the dead, anoints His body with this oil she has been saving for the day of His burial.  Wiping His feet with her hair, she enacts the great pose of giving Christ supreme honor, showing that she understands who He is, and perhaps even a sense that He will die for the love of them all.  Theodore of Mopsuestia comments that Mary’s act of love should be seen for what it was, an honor given to our Lord, who would not be long among them, rather than pitted against the idea of caring for the poor, which (according to John's Gospel) was not really Judas’s primary concern.  St. Ambrose comments that Judas valued Mary's act of love at a much higher price than he would be paid for the very life of Christ, writing, "O traitor Judas, you value the ointment of his passion at three hundred pence, and you sell his passion at thirty pence. Rich in valuing, cheap in wickedness!" (On the Holy Spirit).  Clearly Christ Himself pronounces this extravagant act of love on the part of Mary to be quite precious, saying, "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 so it is, and so we understand.  May all our generous acts of love be as precious and, indeed, priceless -- and so very graciously received as by the author of grace Himself. 

 

If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me

 

 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. 

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"  So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."  He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?"  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 

- Matthew 19:13-22 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."   But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

 

Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.  My study Bible cites the commentary of Theophylact, who writes that the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ both because their manner was "unruly" and because they thought children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  Christ rejects this thinking, setting little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, my study Bible notes, children are invited -- even as an example to adults, to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  In a commentary on a similar passage found at Luke 18:15-17, Theophylact writes about the characteristics of little children which suit the kingdom of heaven: "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity."

 

 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"  So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."   My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus, but rather to seek advice from one whom he considers to be simply a good Teacher.  Jesus' response does not deny that He is God, but rather designed to lead the rich young man to this knowledge. 

He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?"  To observe the commandments formally does not make one righteous before God, my study Bible explains.  This man had an earnest desire to attain eternal life, and sensed that he still lacked something.  So, he continues to press Christ for the answer.

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  My study Bible says that to be perfect, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  There is nothing gained unless this sacrifice is freely given.  It notes that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  As wealth had such a grip on this rich man, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, to give away possessions is the least of Jesus' instructions here.  To follow Christ in all things, he says, is a far greater and more difficult calling.  

In tomorrow's reading, Jesus will continue speaking to the disciples about the statements He makes here to the rich young man.  If we note carefully, he's called a rich young ruler in the subtopic notations of our Bibles, and explicitly called a "ruler" in the text of Luke's version of this event (Luke 18:18).  This tells us that he is from one of the ruling parties of the Council, and it possibly makes him one of the landowning classes which formed the Sadducees, traditional aristocrats of the Jerusalem area.  His vast possessions -- at his time and place -- make it likely that his possessions are connected to inheritance, and thus his family name and place within the society.  So the first thing it might be necessary to consider here is that when we think of the importance of his possessions to him, they are deeply tied in to his identity and social position.  So while we may make a simple conclusion that this man was greedy or selfish, that doesn't seem to be the precise conclusion we should draw.  After all, he has already followed the commandments all of his life, which does not indicate a selfish disposition, or a lazy one.  Moreover, in Mark's Gospel, we're told that  "Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me'" (Mark 10:21).  It seems unlikely that Mark's text would go out of its way to tell us that Jesus loved this person if he had a defective character that was simply selfish or miserly.  Instead, what we are invited to do here is consider both the difficulty and necessity of what Jesus is teaching to one whom He apparently loved.  In other words, Jesus' word -- this difficult assignment -- comes because Jesus loves this young man, and therefore deeply desires to lead him to salvation.  He is not a lost cause, incapable of repentance or change, but one to whom Jesus would desire to open the kingdom of heaven.  In that light, what we find is that the Gospel is calling us to think about why this is difficult and why it is also necessary.  In yesterday's reading and commentary, we displayed the icon of Christ the Bridegroom, because although the topic was ostensibly marriage and divorce, in the traditional understanding of the Church, marriage asks us for sanctifying sacrifice which helps mold character.  Perhaps we are to see today's teaching by Jesus to this young man in the same light.  He also is asked for a sacrifice in order to come to a deeper communion with Christ, to attain the eternal life he seeks.  Sacrifice is not easy; in fact to one whom Jesus loves, and who is obviously dedicated enough to faith to follow the commandments all of his life, perhaps the next great step is just that much more difficult a sacrifice -- to leave his great possessions, which no doubt carry family ties and position within the society, behind him in order to more fully follow Christ and enter into that Kingdom.  Indeed, we will hear the disciples come to terms with their own sacrifices for following Christ as well -- and Jesus will have something to say about what it is that makes such sacrifices possible.  We might also note here that at the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD (within one generation), the entire group of the aristocratic landowning Sadducees would disappear into history, and ponder what this might have meant for this young ruler's future at any rate.  Christ's advice, if taken, would possibly have planted him in the early Church, and stood him in good stead for how to live through such a debacle.  To train one's focus on treasure in heaven rather than treasure on earth would prove no doubt of great value for such circumstances.  At any rate, it was ironically "treasure in heaven" that this rich man still lacked.  But in the meantime, let us stop to consider what we give up in order to become a part of this Kingdom, to participate as deeply as possible in the life of Christ, and to rely upon our faith as we grow in the identity that He offers us instead of what we already know.  In this sense, we are to become like "little children," who follow where Christ would lead them, and we are born again through His guidance and teaching for a new life and new identity. 

 

 

 

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

 

 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor."  And they criticized her sharply.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone.  Why do you trouble her?  She has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for 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."  

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money.  So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

 

- Mark 14:1–11 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus finished His discourse on end times (see also the first and second parts of His teaching on this subject).    As He completed His prophecy, He taught:  "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the door!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!" 

 

 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."  My study Bible explains that the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins with the Passover meal on the evening of 15 Nisan (on the Jewish calendar), and lasts seven days (Exodus 12:12-20).  Combined, these feasts commemorate Israel's being freed from slavery in Egypt.  The word "Passover" refers to the angel of death "passing over" Hebrew hones when killing the firstborn of the Egyptians, as the Jews had put lamb's blood on the doorposts (Exodus 12:13).  My study Bible tells us that Unleavened bread is a reminder of the haste with which the Hebrews left Egypt (Exodus 12:39).  This Passover, it teaches, was fulfilled in Christ, whose blood was shed to free humanity from bondage to sin and death.  

 

 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  My study Bible explains that Simon the leper must have been healed by Christ earlier, for lepers were forbidden to live in towns.

 

But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor."  And they criticized her sharply.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone.  Why do you trouble her?  She has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial."  My study Bible comments that Jesus accepts this honor from the woman in her newly found faith.  Specifically, He accepts it as a sign of His coming burial, and an act of mercy and love.  Nonetheless, my study Bible says, St. John Chrysostom says that the disciples weren't wrong in principle:  mercy shown to the poor is more fitting than outward signs shown even to God (Matthew 25:40; James 1:27).  But what they did not understand is that once the gift had been given, it was a greater mercy to accept it with love.  St. Chrysostom, writes (as quoted by my study Bible), "If anyone had asked Christ before the woman did this, He would not have approved it.  But after she had done it, He looks only to the gift itself.  For after the fragrant oil had been poured, what good was a rebuke?  Likewise, if you should see anyone providing a sacred vessel or ornament for the walls of the church, do not spoil his zeal.  But if beforehand he asks about it, command him to give instead to the poor."

 

"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."   My study Bible says that because of her fervent faith, Jesus promises perpetual public memory of this woman.  It notes that among the patristic writers, there is no consensus as to her identity in relation to accounts of similar events in Matthew 26:6-13; Luke 7:36-38; and John 12:1-8.  Some say that there were three different women in these four accounts, but others that there were only two.  

 

 What is quite appealing in today's reading is Jesus' insight and perspective on the gift of this woman who brings to Him an alabaster flask of what we're told is very costly oil of spikenard, a fragrant oil sometimes said to be similar to lavender in scent.  According to some sources, this spikenard was costly partly because it had to be imported from far away, as it was made from a flower that grew in the Himalayas, a part of the honeysuckle family.  So this is indeed a treasure that she is bringing to Jesus, something considered to be extravagant and a form of luxury.  But let us consider that she does not use it for herself (as St. Chrysostom commented), and neither does she give it as treasure, but uses it to anoint Jesus.  Let us remember also that the title "Christ" means "Anointed One."  So, in a sense, she is declaring her faith that He is indeed the Christ, the Messiah.  But it is Jesus' own perspective on what she has done which is the most impressive here, and the most insightful, for Jesus also gives us clues about how we, also, might more properly form perspective on various occasions or events in our lives.  For Jesus sees this as purely an act of love and care, and even one that is prophetic in and of itself, making it a sign of a true gift of the spirit.  For Jesus sees this -- and explicitly corrects the disciples in saying so -- as an anointing for His burial.  She has brought Him, in effect, a prophetic gift, an act of love and mercy at the death of one who is Beloved.  For this is what people do for their loved ones.  This is the way to give care in death.  This is what the women go to do at the tomb who will be the first to be given the good news of the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-12).  This is the way that Jesus teaches us to see this act, the way He teaches the disciples to see with His eyes, for He has the deeper insight into the prophetic, and His perspective renders great praise to this woman.  Let us examine His words:  "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for 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."  In other words, she understands the time and the preciousness of the life of Christ, so that this is her opportunity to do something good for Him.  In this sense, "she has done what she could."  And His praise is so great that "wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."  Imagine the honor He declares is due to her that she has a permanent, universal memorial to her "wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world!"  Jesus not only gives praise, He commands a memorial such as this.  In so doing, He also reminds us what it means to "watch and pray" as He has repeatedly taught during the past three Gospel readings concerning the end times.  To watch is the opposite of sleeping; it is to be alert, awake and aware as possible, to be vigilant.  In her own vigilance of this time, she has brought an anointing to prepare for His burial; she has found the spiritual possibility of this moment.  She, walking into this home in Bethany near Jerusalem, in this dinner where no doubt Christ was the guest of honor at the time of the Passover when so many pilgrims had come to Jerusalem -- she among all of the others knows the time and the opportunity to do what she could.  She has found and understood this moment, and expressed her devotion and faith, as Christ is One whom "you do not have always."  She has done a good work for Him in this time in a proper way.  Let us consider the time and moments of our lives in which to do a particular good work is proper and right.  For this is what it means to be truly watchful and prayerful.  Over the previous three readings, we have been following Christ's discussion of end times -- that is, from the time of His Resurrection until His Second Coming, which we now await.  Throughout, Jesus has repeatedly punctuated His teachings with admonitions to "watch," to "pray," and to "take heed."   For it is a time of upheaval, of things being exposed, unveiled, revealed, and the old things passing away.  She has discerned this time in which the leaders plot against Christ, and she has given Him the anointing in preparation for what is to come, where He goes voluntarily, even as Judas plots betrayal.  May we each be so wise and bear the fruit of our awareness and the gift of His praise.

 

 

 

 

But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just

 

 Then He also said to those who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'" 

 

- Luke 14:12-24 

 

On Saturday, we read that, as Jesus went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.  So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  

 

 Then He also said to those who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  My study Bible comments that this instruction given by Christ is based on the manner in which God treats us, although not one of us could possibly repay God (see Luke 6:30-36).  You shall be repaid:  see the words of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34-35.  The teachings here couple with the verses just preceding, from Saturday's reading (see above); in the words of my study Bible, Christ teaches, in imitation of Himself, perfect humility to guests, and boundless charity to hosts.

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"   My study Bible comments that this man unwittingly declares the ultimate beatitude.  The truth behind his words can come only through understanding the bread to be eternal communion with God.

Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'"  My study Bible explains that the parable Christ teaches here operates on two levels, which illustrate both the first and second coming of Christ.  He is the servant sent to gather many.  Supper indicates evening, the end of the age, which has been a common theme over the course of recent readings.  The people invited are first the Jews, and then all humankind.  

"But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"  According to patristic commentary, these three excuses have both a literal meaning and spiritual meanings.  In the literal sense, that many are too attached to worldly cares to accept the Kingdom of God (see verse 26, Luke 18:29).  St. Ambrose sees the three excuses of I cannot come as representing the Gentile, the Jew, and the heretic.  The Gentile's devotion to earthly wealth is represented by the piece of ground, the Jew's enslavement to the five books of the Law by the five yoke of oxen, and the heretic's espousal of error by the man refusing on account of his wife.  Theophylact more generally associates the excuses with people who are devoted to earthly matters, to things which pertain to the five senses, and to all the pleasures of the flesh.  Taken all together, the excuses remind us of the things which do not nurture the seed of the Sower, do not constitute the good ground in the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15).  

"So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"  My study Bible comments that those in the streets and lanes indicate first the Gentiles who accepted Christ after He was rejected by the Jews who did not have faith in Him; and second, those outside the Church who replaced those within who have rejected their own baptism.

 At first glance the different subjects in today's reading, although ostensibly related in that they concern a supper given for many guests, seem to contradict one another.  On the one hand, Jesus speaks of giving a dinner or a supper, and the gracious way one must treat guests.   His emphasis is on charity, in the sense that He advises the people with Him not to invite those friends, relatives, and rich neighbors who can "pay one back" in kind, but rather those who, for whatever reason, cannot afford to pay back.  In this way, through this kind of almsgiving or compassion, we rather store "treasure in heaven" (Luke 12:33, 18:22), "for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  But the image in the second story of a great supper gives us a less comforting picture about the refusal of hospitality, of graciousness rebuffed.  Clearly it's meant to be a response to the remark, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  But as we have had occasion to remark so frequently in recent readings as Jesus has begun to shift His sight to the Cross, this time the image is one that teaches us what it is to rebuff the graciousness of God, the offer of a place in God's kingdom.  The focus is on all the ways we put off thinking about "the resurrection of the just," and the process of moving toward the fullness of God's kingdom.  The emphasis again seems to be upon us to consider the time, that we do not have an infinite amount of time in our lives to put off the work of our faith, of doing the things God would like us to do.  That is, to consider what it is to practice compassion, to give alms in any way we can through such kindnesses or charitable behaviors we can.   This amounts to a way of thinking in which we take on a mindset that is less focused so much on what we think we need to do or to be in a worldly or earthly sense, and more focused on what it is that pleases God, on heeding that place within us that calls us toward this identity in the Kingdom.  Who are we when we stand before God? Do we seek a communion with Christ in our hearts?  Is there an adjustment we need to make in terms of how much time we think we have for God and God's call in our lives, how much energy we have for projects that call to the heart, how much extra space we can make for giving on even a small level?  This orientation toward gracious behavior can be as simple as a kindness shared with another person in a chance encounter, or something as costly as a smile at the right time, even the smallest supportive gesture to someone who needs it.  The common denominator, if we look for it in each of Jesus' teachings here in today's reading, seems to be humility.  It takes a kind of humility to realize that even those with the least among us are rich in blessings that they can share with others.  There's an old saying I can recall a friend's mother quoting:  "Good manners don't cost anything."  A little extra time or consideration, a charitable action (especially when it is unknown to the public), a hug at the right time or friendly greeting -- even a great, grand gesture of a large contribution to a worthwhile cause -- each of these things done with humility becomes a treasure in God's sight, an image that adds to our luster with God's love, for we are doing what is pleasing to our Lord, we are reflecting the person we're created to be,  God's image.  But it is humility that is the key, because the blessing from God comes from the humility of pleasing God.   There is a prayer written into the St. John Chrysostom liturgy in which we find a plea inspired by God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3.   In the closing prayer, we begin pray to God, "You bless those who bless you."  We should consider that we bless the Lord by being humble to the Lord, welcoming God's gracious will into our lives, sharing the supper to which we're invited, and doing so through charitable acts and kindnesses of our own.  It takes humility to recognize such blessings as we have to share, and how truly rich we are in the things we can share with others through the grace of God.  Let us take Christ's words to heart, remembering that this is, even in humility, part of the glory of God and God's kingdom with which we are blessed and in which we can share and share with others.

 

 

 

 

Blessed are you

 

 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:  Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.  And they were healed.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

"Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled.

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you, and cast your your name as evil,

For the Son of Man's sake.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

"But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,

For you shall mourn and weep.

Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets."

 

- Luke 6:12-26 

 

Yesterday we read that it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that Jesus went through the grainfields.  And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands.  And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"  But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him?  How he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?"  And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."   Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught.  And a man was there whose right hand was withered.  So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.  But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here."  And he arose and stood.  Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing:  Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?"  And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.   

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: . . .  My study Bible cites St. Ambrose of Milan, who comments that Jesus, being the Son of God, does not pray as if to obtain grace or revelation from the Father.  Instead, as the Son of Man, He prays as the Advocate for humanity (see 1 John 2:1).   Moreover, according to Theophylact, Jesus spent all night in prayer before selecting the twelve apostles in order to teach us that before choosing a candidate for any spiritual ministry, we should pray that God will reveal to us the one suited for the task.  The twelve are called interchangeably both disciples and apostles.  The Greek word translated as "disciple" means literally "learner."  "Apostle" means "one sent out." 

. . . Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.   My study Bible comments that the names of the Twelve are not the same in all lists, because many people had more than one name.  The names here and in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 10:1-4) are given in pairs, suggesting who might have traveled together on the first missionary journey, as Mark reports that they were sent out two by two (Mark 6:7). 

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.  And they were healed.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.  Note that for the sermon He will give here, Jesus stood on a level place.  For that reason, the sermon in the verses that follow is called the Sermon on the Plain.  It is also noteworthy that, in addition to all those from Judea and Jerusalem (and, we presume, Galilee), there are also people present from the Gentile regions of the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.  Although the Sermon on the Plain is not as extension as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7), it is similar in content.  My study Bible comments that Jesus repeated many of His teachings over a period of three years.  

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:  "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."  In the Sermon on the Mount, He teaches, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," meaning those who have the heart of the poor, the same attitude as the poor, and are totally dependent upon God.  This can also clearly mean those oppressed or excluded because of their faith and humility.  Blessed in the context of Christ's teaching means heavenly, spiritual exaltation rather than a worldly kind of happiness or simply material prosperity.  In Hebrew, my study Bible comments, "poor" means both the materially poor and also the faithful among God's people. 

 

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled."  Again we remember the kind of blessings Jesus refers to here.  In the Sermon on the Mount, it's reported that He taught, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."   

 

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."    In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ speaks of the blessedness of those who mourn.  That is, according to my study Bible, those who sorrow over the suffering of this life (Matthew 9:23), the sufferings of others (John 11:35), the state of the world (Luke 19:41), and their own sins (Luke 7:36-38).  

 

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and cast your your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!  For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."    My study Bible comments that those who would be children of God uphold truth, refuse to compromise with the ways of the world, and give themselves to no other (Matthew 6:24, 33; see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  Luke Jesus, there will be those who, in response, hate, exclude, and cast one's name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake (see also John 15:18-20).  It adds that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  

"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets."   Luke reports four "woes" which are not found in Matthew's account of the Sermon on the Mount.  My study Bible comments that woe is an indication not merely of sorrow, but of unspeakable destruction (Isaiah 5:18-24; Amos 5:18-19; Revelation 12:12).  Those who prize the vices which are listed here are liable to the "utmost misery"; however, according to St. Cyril of Alexandria, they find hope when they sacrifice their earthly blessings in showing mercy to others.

 

 In giving us both the blessings and the woes that accompany the kingdom of God and His gospel, Jesus teaches us about the centrality of this Kingdom to our lives.  He's saying that we have both blessings within it, and woes that come without it, and He offers us a perspective that teaches quite clearly that being a part of this Kingdom is worth every sacrifice and any worldly suffering it might entail.  The blessings of this Kingdom come despite nominal worldly hardship because of it, in Christ's framework of Beatitudes here.  We are blessed although among the poor, because ours is the kingdom of God.  We are blessed when we hunger, for we shall be filled.  When we weep we are nonetheless blessed because we shall laugh.  And when we are hated by others, and excluded, and our name is slandered as evil -- all for the Son of Man's sake -- we are also blessed!  In fact, we are to rejoice, and leap for joy, because our reward is great in heaven, and in so suffering we join the ranks of the prophets of the past.  He asks us to celebrate this blessedness even in the midst of worldly suffering because of our faith.  On the other hand, there are woes here for those who reject the Kingdom, and who reap a worldly harvest at the same time (even possibly because of that rejection).  The rich will receive no other consolation; those who are full (in contrast to the hungry faithful) shall hunger.  Those who laugh now shall mourn and weep.  And those whose reputation is great and flattered shall suffer the same fate as the false prophets.  It might be safe to say that we all know those who seem to have a good life possibly because they reject living the values that Christ teaches -- and also those who nominally follow Christ in an outward fashion.  But consider what it means to truly accept the things He posits here.  Can we rejoice when we're reviled for His sake?  Are we really capable of understanding, contrary to the plethora of suggestions in the world that having all things immediately at our fingertips is a guarantee of a great life, that a deferred consolation might really be far better than the things with which we could gratify ourselves right now?  These are not easy teachings, but they nevertheless make a great deal of sense with a little spiritual experience.   Some have learned by sharing the bitter experience of letting oneself down with, say, easy money gained through a cheap cheat of someone we care about.  Another common path to this knowledge through experience is in finding a purely outward fix through indulgence and forgetfulness in whatever vice we choose, rather than really grappling with and struggling with an inner problem.  These remain common experiences in a modern world -- and the true "fix" to the problems that deeply ail us remains still in the spiritual struggle that is there within us.  There are all kinds of ways of losing ourselves within the worldly framework of what looks good on the surface.  For example,  popularity and flattery, getting the big house or car or boat even through not-so-honest or decent ways of conducting our business, or a high lifestyle that seeks to ignore the question of integrity and even the inner struggle with our own troubles.  These dilemmas remain with us and become magnified with greater worldly wealth and temptation.  There are myriad books in any marketplace to testify to such struggles, and self-help programs, medications, and therapies that continue to proliferate in an effort to offer solutions.  But so much in the end comes down to facing the true fact that it is the intangible that gives us reward, the struggle that gives us substance, and the love of God that is the comfort that answers our deepest needs for consolation.  In the end, it is the love and mercy of the Kingdom that become reliable -- despite worldly loss -- because those are the things that stay with us while everything else can fluctuate.  Those are the needs we still have when everything else is transcended.  Witness the enduring problems in the headlines of people who have too much too fast, of the wealthy and famous, the anxieties that can accompany worldly achievement.  Let us consider the Kingdom, and Christ's teaching.  For whatever we have in life, a real need remains for what is of true substance, and the spiritual life the one place to seek the answers we haven't  managed to find.  There are times when we make a choice between this inner struggle of working out our salvation and some sort of worldly plan for "success."  Let us cherish the value of the one over the other, and know that all things may be added to the one we are to seek first.