John 12:1-11

Isaiah 42:1-7

Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14

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.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have called me and chosen me out of love. I did nothing to deserve this vocation and election. Strengthen me to respond generously to your call, to resist the temptations of this world, and to be your humble servant.

Encountering the Word of God

1. In the House of His Friends: John tells us that “six days before Passover,” Jesus came to Bethany, a village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about two miles east of Jerusalem. After resting on the Sabbath, Jesus had dinner on Saturday evening at the house of his three friends. Lazarus reclined at the dinner table with Jesus and his disciples. A likely theme of conversation was how Jesus recently restored his friend to life (John 11:1-44) and, because of this, had to retreat with his disciples into the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim (John 11:54). At this dinner, Martha served the meal without complaining, without being distracted, without becoming anxious, or without judging her sister, Mary. Mary was once again at the feet of Jesus. At an earlier dinner, narrated in Luke 10:38-42, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his teaching. Here, she anoints Jesus’ feet. Each of the three friends related to Jesus in different ways. Lazarus was a faithful friend who was always ready to welcome Jesus and his disciples into his home when Jesus was in Jerusalem. Martha was active in her service as she cooked and prepared the meals, cleaned the house, and made it ready for everyone. Mary was more contemplative and was willing to set aside everything to listen to Jesus or to sell everything on behalf of Jesus.

2. Anointing Jesus’ Feet, Head, and Body: Jesus will be anointed three times. We read today about the first anointing. Mary anointed Jesus’ feet by pouring out a pound (litran) of pure spikenard, worth a year’s wages (300 denarii). Jesus had just finished his long, final journey to Jerusalem. When Judas complained about the gesture, and how the oil could have been sold, Jesus corrected him and told Mary to keep the rest of the oil for the day of his burial. The second anointing took place a couple of days later, in the house of Simon the Leper, which was also in Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9). This time an unnamed woman didn’t just pour out some of the spikenard oil, but broke the jar, and poured out all of it on Jesus’ head. On the one hand, the woman expressed her love for Jesus. On the other, to anoint the head with oil was a way to crown a king (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13) and to ordain a priest (Exodus 29:7). “This woman’s gesture is a symbolic recognition of Jesus the messianic king and high priest! Although she may have been only vaguely aware of the significance of her act, Jesus recognized and affirmed it. It is the only time in the Gospel that he is literally anointed (the meaning of ‘messiah’), and it takes place just days before he completes his messianic mission” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 277). The third anointing will be at the burial of Jesus, when Nicodemus brought 100 pounds (litras) of myrrh and aloes, and anointed the body of Jesus (John 19:39-40). Jesus was anointed with perfumed oil that befits a high priest because the Law of Moses (Exodus 30:22-33) insisted that the high priest be anointed with an oil of the finest spices, including myrrh, for his ordination (see Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 252).

3. Anticipations: Judas complaining about the waste of money anticipates his betrayal for thirty pieces of silver. The mention of Lazarus, who was restored to life on the fourth day, anticipates the resurrection of Jesus on the third day. Mary’s anointing in Bethany anticipates the anointing of Jesus’ body at his burial. Mary’s drying Jesus’ feet with her hair anticipates Jesus’ gesture of washing and drying his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. The fragrance spreading throughout the room anticipates the spread of the Gospel throughout the entire world.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me everything I need to be a servant like you. You humbled yourself through your Incarnation, birth, and hidden life. Your public ministry was one of humble service. Your death on the Cross was the supreme example of humble obedience. Even now, reigning in heaven, you are the Servant King, who intercedes for his people.

Living the Word of God: How is my friendship with Jesus? Do I seek to know him and share my life with him? Do I thank him for his gifts? Do I ask for forgiveness when I mess up or hurt our friendship? Do I tell him about my day and what I am hopeful for in the future?