Gospel
John 12:1-11
Judas really cannot understand why the myrrh is being lavished on Jesus. He doesn't care for the poor, he's looking for a chance to embezzle from the common fund. He's thinking about himself and about worldly things. Jesus enjoys the things of this world: he's having dinner with friends, he hangs around with all sorts and is accused of being a drunkard. He doesn't care a jot for social convention, for keeping up appearances. It's what on the inside that counts. He knows that Mary is acting out of love. As a costly extravagant act it points to his own death on the cross for love of us, wretches that we are. There is something wonderful and exuberant about divine generosity: it's over the top, it is lavish and excess - such is the love of God, who spared not his own son for love of us. That's how much God loves us. Can our response to that love be exuberant, or will we be like Judas: miserly, thinking of ourselves.
The Jews don't get it either. They can see an event: Jesus is news and so is Lazarus: celebrity culture is not a new thing. The Religious Authorities think it's all about power and influence: they don't get it either. They can only see a zero-sum game. They are concerned with things of this world and are unable to the Kingdom of God in their midst. It's always troubling when the church starts to look like the Pharisees: concerned with the things of this world, power, influence, courting popular opinion or popularity with politicians. Jesus has always had the ability to unsettle the powerful. They feel threatened by the freedom of the Kingdom, a freedom which sees Christ lay down his life freely. Such things can truly change the world. And they do. The Cross will show God's power in weakness, his love in rejection and humiliation. It's scandalous insofar as it turns the values of the world on their head. It announces and inaugurates the Kingdom of Christ: let us stay close to him, follow in his footsteps, and live his life by his rules, spurning the ways of the world to have life in all its fullness in Him.
John 12:1-11
Judas really cannot understand why the myrrh is being lavished on Jesus. He doesn't care for the poor, he's looking for a chance to embezzle from the common fund. He's thinking about himself and about worldly things. Jesus enjoys the things of this world: he's having dinner with friends, he hangs around with all sorts and is accused of being a drunkard. He doesn't care a jot for social convention, for keeping up appearances. It's what on the inside that counts. He knows that Mary is acting out of love. As a costly extravagant act it points to his own death on the cross for love of us, wretches that we are. There is something wonderful and exuberant about divine generosity: it's over the top, it is lavish and excess - such is the love of God, who spared not his own son for love of us. That's how much God loves us. Can our response to that love be exuberant, or will we be like Judas: miserly, thinking of ourselves.
The Jews don't get it either. They can see an event: Jesus is news and so is Lazarus: celebrity culture is not a new thing. The Religious Authorities think it's all about power and influence: they don't get it either. They can only see a zero-sum game. They are concerned with things of this world and are unable to the Kingdom of God in their midst. It's always troubling when the church starts to look like the Pharisees: concerned with the things of this world, power, influence, courting popular opinion or popularity with politicians. Jesus has always had the ability to unsettle the powerful. They feel threatened by the freedom of the Kingdom, a freedom which sees Christ lay down his life freely. Such things can truly change the world. And they do. The Cross will show God's power in weakness, his love in rejection and humiliation. It's scandalous insofar as it turns the values of the world on their head. It announces and inaugurates the Kingdom of Christ: let us stay close to him, follow in his footsteps, and live his life by his rules, spurning the ways of the world to have life in all its fullness in Him.
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