Day 42, Mark 14
Good Day Everyone! Happy 3rd Sunday in Lent!
I am posting this at 4:30 pm usual time is in the early hours of the morning so I pray that you read this in anticipation!!!!
Get fired up because this is one of the most passionate chapter writings I have seen yet!!!
Yesterday was an action packed anointed day for many and here in Philadelphia there was a Catechetical weekend!!!
I attended and it was truly a great way to get FIRED UP for JESUS Christ in HIS CHURCH — the ONE HOLY AND APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC CHURCH!
So I hope no one misses this due to the timing — but GOD IS always right on time — He has a plan for this perfect timing!
Today is a Triple A — AAA for the Gospel~
- Anointing
- Agony
- Arrest
1- Anointing- We will see this woman who anointed Jesus by pouring the precious costly oil on His head. Can you picture the courage that she had to enter in to the place where men were reclining at table — they were in a meal — and she just broke in! She got right in the middle of things!
The anointing of a king was done just this way except at a holy place - the altar of sacrifice — usually out on a mountain top and by a prophet like Samuel who anointed the first king Saul.
The prophets who speak and hear from God on behalf of the king and the priests would offer the sacrifices to God on behalf of the King and the people.
So watch what happens here — Jesus receives an anointing… and what is the new altar of sacrifice? Jesus reclining at table — which is an image of the supper table — the MASS!
I like the way Jesus was at Simon the leper’s house — which to me signifies that Jesus’ people will be the sick who need the doctor!!! The lepers of the world === and interesting that his name here is Simon —- the original name of Peter the Rock — who is Simon Peter — His house is the Roman Catholic Church!
This is an image of Jesus’ anointing to be King — and the woman signifies that we are all called to make Jesus kingly ministry present by participating in the HOLY MASS and then by living the Mass in the world!
We are also participating in the ministry – not sacramentally as the men who are anointed priests of our day –
but we pariticapte as the people of God, in whatever our vocations we share in the priest, prophet and king ministry of JESUS.
Jesus says to the apostles, who were not happy that the woman “wasted” this money because it could have gone to helping the poor,
“Let her alone, Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them,
but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could.
She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.”
This comes up a lot when people question why we would spend money on the church when we could be helping the poor etc…
I think this scripture explains it perfectly — I know that in our church today at Mass after the homily we heard from our Cardinal Regali – Archbishop of Philadelphia – speak to us about a capital campaign to raise money for all the needs of the church!
The needs are varied - there were monies allocated to take care of the main basilica, the seminary, the Catholic schools, the retired priests — and much much more –
the amount of money discussed and raised thus far in my parish alone is unimaginable to me! And a parishioner offered to match every dollar raised over our parish goal up to $300,000!
In six weeks our parish raised $640,000 and that was from only 42 families!
I know I was sitting there and thinking to myself — who has $300,000 to match — and what about all the people in our parish who are out of work and the poor etc…
And then I thought about what the Cardinal was saying about preparing the church to be around for the next generation -
– the same way we must take care of our homes —
– amazing to think that the church must be taken care of and by we the people!!! WE MUST ANTICIPATE… as the woman did!
I really got the bigger picture today of the church in our archdiocese — it is bigger that just my life and or this one single parish– and this is what the Lord was trying to do with the apostles –
The poor will always be with you… really helped me to see that there will always be poor for us to help — ALWAYS — I guess God has allowed that so that we always can exercise charity – crazy but it makes sense!
We the people must take care of our churches — they must be maintained and be the most beautiful places on earth — they must lift our minds to heaven!
We must take care of Catholic Education and we must provide for men to be able to go to the seminaries — especially to fund them and also to make sure that the seminary is running well and preserved — and also to make sure that children are able to go to Catholic School if they desire and don’t have the funds.
I mean all the things I heard the Cardinal speak of today really prepare our church to receive the next generation — so it is an investment!
The same way that this woman made an investment — the apostles said that it was the wages of 300 days — that would mean a years salary —
What an offering!!!
That is what some of my fellow parishioners have done — averaging $15,000 per household right now — amazing — it shows great love for the Catholic Church —
Just like this woman showed great love for Christ!
Lastly – the woman prepared Christ for burial — this was customary to pour oil over the body after death —
it prepared Him to die — and we know that next step after this was the beginning of the end — the betrayal —
So the fragranced oil was a sign of His death — when we give like she did — and like the offering I just shared — we die to our own wills and desires — in the this case — money that we would have used on ourselves — and prepare for death in Christ JESUS!
When we give like this — extravagantly — for Christ — out of love — we make a fragrant offering of love — and make His burial present!!!!
We die with Christ!! How beautiful! Then we pray that others would be attracted to the sweet fragrance that permeates the land!
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND That JESUS said ….
“Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
OK so this is huge — we will have two other times to read this in Luke and John — so this act of pouring out that which is costly — what might seem a waste to others — that which makes Christ death present — and leads others to His sweet fragrant offering on the Cross — is our example to follow!
We see here Jesus use the word Gospel — in greek the word is Euangelion, meaning, “good news”——- you can see where we get the word evangelization — spreading this Good News!
WE see that this kind of Love expressed in the Agony of Christ as well!
2- Agony- OK now I am going to challenge you to read and pray this agony scripture deeper than you might have before — you see I had an amazing professor – Dr. of Theology who really opened up this scripture for myself and all in the class –
You see most people read this and think that JESUS was being human by asking if He could get out of the suffering…HE asks for the cup to pass… and then He says… well not my will but yours be done!!!
I know for myself and many others we read that — then when we have a tough time doing God’s will we say…
“Oh well, even Jesus struggled! Remember the agony in the garden? Jesus was trying to get out of the cross and just wanted to make sure it was what the Father wanted right?”
NO! That is not it!
Remember that Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the garden as he prayed — and had the three apostles to pray that they would not undergo the test… and told them to do what?
WATCH!!!
Wasn’t that Jesus message last chapter?
OH MY GOODNESS CHECK THIS OUT!!!!
The apostles FALL ASLEEP!!!
Jesus says TO PETER — ” SIMON are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for ONE HOUR” ?
I mean if PETER the ROCK — future head of the church can’t keep watch for one hour? Then when the test comes — will he be able to handle it?
Well we all knows how it goes!!!
Jesus had just told them that they ALL were going to have their faith shaken!
According to the OLD TESTAMENT — in Zechariah 13:7 — you must read this it is called, “THE SONG OF THE SWORD”
Oh it is too good I have to write it here for you… (this is the prophet Zechariah the second to last book of the old testament — and the coming of the Messiah and what will happen…)
The Song of the Sword
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who is my associate,
says the Lord of hosts.
Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be dispersed,
and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
In all the land, says the Lord,
two thirds of them shall be cut off and perish,
and one third shall be left.
I will bring the one third through the fire,
and I will refine them as silver is refined,
and I will test them as gold is tested.
They shall call upon my name,
and I will hear them.
I will say, “they are my people,”
and they shall say, “The Lord is my God.”
OK now I am so fired up to share this with you!!!
Jesus was in the garden praying that the cup would PASS!!!!
Because He didn’t want to drink yet!!!!
He was being tempted to drink their and then…. by Satan!!! If JESUS drank the cup there then …there would have been no CROSS!
JESUS had just told the apostles that He would not Drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when He drinks it NEW in the kingdom of God —-
So why would he turn around and beg God to take it away? JESUS was not weak!!!! He doesn’t have HIS FAITH SHAKEN — not the shepherd!!!!
NO He was praying that He would be able to go all the way to CALVARY — and giving HIS YES!!!!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
This allows us to look at suffering in an even deeper more glorious way…
YOU see when you are going through something — that is bringing on suffering — you must know that their are souls attached to this suffering…
You pray that God will bring you through it and that if it be God’s will let the cup pass — pass to the place of fulfillment!!! Because we will be given opportunities to say yes or no along the way!!!
Pray and keep watch so that you will have the faith that you need to undergo the many tests of faith that come — especially during difficult times when you suffer –
to keep trusting and surrendering to the greatest that God has for you! You see some of us are living a Christian life — and we don’t realize that God has more for us — but it requires our yes!!!
JESUS prays that the cup would pass — Jesus want to go all the way!!! And it was the will of the Father that all would be saved… so we are on to the next step of the plan…
3. Arrest- In Jesus case — Yes leads to Arrest!
What really got me here is that Judas — even after hearing what JESUS had said earlier —
“It would be better if that man had never been born”
still continues on with His plan — I mean even after the sign JESUS gave –
“The one who dips in the dish with me”
Two chances for Judas to repent — how many signs does Jesus give you and I!
But Judas chose not to hear! I know people who tell me that they know that their life is being lived by them in sin — and it is not that they don’t know it!
They do — they just choose it!
Judas chooses not to hear this or better yet not to listen to the warning…
For pride had already blinded his eyes!
We see Judas say the words… “The man I shall kiss is the one;
ARREST Him and lead him away securely.”
We then hear Jesus asking them why they are arresting Him here in the darkness… when there were plenty of opportunities to arrest him…
“Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not ARREST me; but that the scriptures may be fulfilled”
What comes to me here is how we ARREST Jesus every time we sin — and how we usually sin in darkness — well I mean the friends of JESUS especially-
When we judge or gossip — we do that behind someones back — when we commit adultery that is in secret — and our most sinful addictions usually no one sees except for maybe our family at home –
interesting this concept of ARRESTING JESUS!!!
Having JESUS lead away — taken away securely — this really makes me think that when we sin — we choose to have JESUS TAKEN AWAY — from our home, our schools, our workplaces — most importantly our HEARTS!!!
HOW ABOUT OUR CHURCHES —
Oh we could meditate on this one for a long time!!! JESUS NOW IN CHAINS!
And who is this guy that followed? It says they all left Him and fled!!!
Just as Jesus had predicted — but this YOUNG MAN followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body – they seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked –
I NEVER have seen this before — and I have read this before — see what happens when you read and pray the WORD of GOD — you must read it over and over for the rest of your life!!!
Well — my first thoughts were that it is a prophesy of the upcoming linen cloth — that JESUS will be wearing –
it also reminds me of Adam — being naked and running away —
it also then makes me think of one of the apostles trying to go there with JESUS and I can only think of JOHN having the courage to continue to follow- which means to imitate and do what Jesus does… and since He ends up at the cross — I can see HIM trying to stay with JESUS –
I think it is interesting that Mark who is being led by Peter in the writing doesn’t name himself as cutting off the ear — and or walking on water — and it makes sense for him to not focus on himself — could it have been Peter trying to walk on water and go there with JESUS?
I have a source I am going to look up and see what tradition teaches…
but what do you all think about this very active emotional chapter???
Great for Sunday Meditations and Contemplation today!!!
May The Lord open our eyes and hearts to this passionate scripture!
