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Holy Wednesday

 

A Woman Anoints the Feet of Jesus by James Tissot. SuperStock / Getty Images

Today in Holy Week we commemorate two opposites, one is the event where a woman anointed Jesus’ head and feet at Bethany, “And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told lin memory of her,”  (Mark 14:3-9), and the other is Judas makes his bargain with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus, “Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.” (Luke 22:1-6). It is interesting that two days before Good Friday, one disciple of Jesus honors Him with oil, the other decides to betray Him. Are not all of us in one of these two camps?  We either bless the Lord or curse Him, are a son of the Most High God who worships the Son of God or are a son of perdition that speaks blasphemies and betrays him. I rarely reflect on Judas, save that it is alarming that someone who touched Jesus, heard Him speak, saw Him raise the dead and heal, still decided to be an enemy of God. Its not far fetched, some people react to the grace of God with ire, because it humbles their pride by saying, “you can do nothing apart from me, you can only bear fruit theough me.” (). That rubs human hubris, and some who even harken from the houses of the Lord make war upon the Lord. 


We see Judas more than ever today as pastors betray the Lord and leave the faith publicly, after getting their own fifty pieces of silver from the saints that supported them all those years they preached. And we also see the opposite, people like the woman with oil anointing and showing their love for Christ. 


As preparations for celebrating Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, each person must decide who they really are? Are you Like the woman who blesses Jesus or like Judas who betrays Jesus? There is no middle ground, you are either a sheep or goat, saved or damned (John 3:16-18, Matthew 25:31-46). There is no room for the lukewarm, “But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:16). Amen. 


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