Anointing His Feet

Discipleship and Mission

Call to Ministry

Call to Remember

John 12:1-8 The Message

Anointing His Feet

12 1-3 Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.
4-6 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, “Why wasn’t this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces.” He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.
7-8 Jesus said, “Let her alone. She’s anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don’t always have me.”

For Reflection

Judas's love of money separated him from God.  Jesus selected a spiritually blind person who in spite of his experience as a trusted disciple chose to violate that trust. Judas was selected, but he decided to follow the will of his human ego rather than the will of God. We who have elected to become Christian or have been born into the faith are not exempt from the seductions of our secular lives -- not even a leader in the Christian church or a disciple.

Pray

Pray for the leaders of the Christian church universal. Pray for those of us who consider ourselves disciples of the living God. Pray for those who use Christ for personal aggrandizement.  

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