Monday of Holy Week: Giving Thanks (John 12:1-11)

“Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany…they gave a dinner for him there” (Jn. 12:1-2).

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In the Gospel, Jesus is six days away from his death.

How timely it is, then, that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus extended a dinner invitation to Jesus to thank him for all he’s done.

Notice how they show their gratitude for him in different ways.

Lazarus opens his home. Martha prepares and serves the meal. And Mary spends all she has on a costly bottle of perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet, then washing them with her tears.

Three different gestures with the same message: thank you.

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How do I show my gratitude for others?

Think in particular about our family, our friends, and Jesus. How do we thank them for their role in our lives?

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Holy Week can teach us many things. But the first lesson on Monday morning is this: it’s never too late to give thanks.