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Gospel: John 12: 1-11
Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
“Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages
and given to the poor?”
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, “Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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We’ve entered Monday of Holy Week. Jesus is just days away from his death.
Appropriately, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus extended a dinner invitation to the Lord, thanking him for all he’s done in their lives, most notably for raising Lazarus from the dead!
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Each person shows their gratitude differently.
Lazarus opens his home. Martha prepares and serves the meal. Mary spends all she has on a costly bottle of perfume, pouring it over Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair.
Three different gestures with the same heart-filled message: thank you.
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Holy Week will teach us many things about the Christian life. But the first lesson on Monday morning is this: be grateful.
In particular, be grateful as we journey with Jesus from Calvary to the empty tomb. Be grateful for his love, his example, his unrelenting obedience to his Father, grateful for what his death and resurrection promises:
Eternal life.
As the Psalmist says, “Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, for his love endures forever.”
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Set aside a quiet moments today to thank Jesus who has, “loved us and given himself for us,” and ask for the grace – in some small way – to pay that love forward.
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Image credits: (1) Deb Mills, Blog, Palm Sunday (2) Mary Magdalene Washing Jesus’ Feet, Etsy (3) hiddentreasuresandriches.com