Monday of Holy Week
In today’s Gospel, we see two very different points of views and motivations. Jesus comes to visit his friends in Bethany and out of love for him Mary anointed his feet with costly perfumed oil and uses her hair to dry them. You can see in her a deep love for Jesus, a love that does not think of cost or image, a love that is humble and giving. To contrast this, we see Judas the Iscariot protest this very action. He argues that this oil could have been sold and the money could be used to feed the poor. But this is not his true motivation, for he wanted the money for himself. Mary gives out of love, but Judas acts pious out of greed. Mary humbles herself at the feet of Jesus, and Judas stands up and rebukes him.
We must ask ourselves, “What is the motivation for our actions?” Are they out of love for humanity and Jesus? Do we anoint him with the oil of our love and very lives, or do we seek to exalt ourselves out of self-love and greed? The reality is we will be tempted by pride in our lives and, at times, not even know it. Our motivations can become skewed or distorted, which is why it is so very important to look back at our day and examine our actions and their motivations. When we find ourselves fallen and broken, we must turn back to Jesus in Love so that he can, “open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.” When we find ourselves in the dark dungeon of pride and selfishness we should pray the words of our entrance antiphon, “Contend, O Lord, with my contenders; fight those who fight me. Take up your buckler and shield; arise in my defense, Lord, my mighty help.”
Our loving God will come to our aid to fight against the tempter and give us the strength to reject the darkness of evil and to come into the light. As in today’s psalm, we sing, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
Reflection by Br. Placid Dale, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections