TURNING BACK TWICE TO JESUS

Tuesday in the Easter Octave

Acts 2:36-41. John 20:11-18.

 

Turning back again and again to JESUS 

 

Let us begin today’s reflection with an insight from Saint Augustine. In the gospel reading, Mary of Magdala stands in front of the tomb weeping. She talks to the two angels who were sitting inside the tomb of Jesus. She turns back and sees Jesus. But she sees Jesus as a gardener. She begins her conversation with the gardener. At the end of the conversation, the gardener says to her, “Mary!” She turns again and says, ‘Rabbouni’, and hugs him. She realizes that it is the Lord. Mary has already turned back from the tomb, towards Jesus. How come she turns around for the second time?

 

Saint Augustine interprets her two turning backs this way: ‘The first time when Mary turned she turned her body toward Jesus. Only the second time she turned her soul. She could recognize the Lord only when she turned her soul towards the Lord. When her body was towards the Lord, and her soul was towards the tomb, she partially recognized Jesus as a gardener. It is when our body and soul together are turned towards Jesus we are able to recognize him as our Lord.’

 

Mary’s recognition of Jesus occurs in four stages:

• First, Mary did not find Jesus.
• Second, she sees him as a gardener.
• Third, she sees him as ‘rabbouni’ (‘my teacher’).
• Fourth, she recognizes him as ‘the Lord.’

 

Jesus sends her on a mission. But she forgets everything. She just says, ‘I have seen the Lord.’

 

According to the Fourth Gospel, ‘sees’ means ‘believing.’ When the Greeks say to Philip, ‘Sir, we would like to see Jesus’ (cf. Jn 12). Here, ‘seeing’ means ‘believing.’

 

Mary’s announcement to the apostles becomes the foundation of faith.

 

Mary of Magdala announces to the apostles, ‘Christ is alive.’

 

Let our face and soul be not towards the tomb. We shall turn back. He stands behind us. Sometimes as a gardener, sometimes as a teacher, and sometimes as the Lord.

Holy Tuesday

In the early literature, we meet several examples of tragic heroes. Before their death they experience Abandonment Issues, How to deal with abandonment issues in Your Relationships, when you are totally abandoned by your loved ones, you need to handle them attentively. Similarly, Jesus is abandoned by the human persons whom he loved very much one by one: Judas, Peter and other disciples. Jesus is addressing them indirectly to the persons first, then telling them also directly. 

Judas: is a figure of one of the disciples, therefore a figure belonging to the group of those whom Jesus had chosen as strict companions and collaborators. It was repeatedly written in the gospels as "one of the twelve" (Mt 26: 14, 47; Mk 14: 10, 20; Jn 6: 71) or "of the number of the twelve" (Lk 22: 3). Betrayal and denial are part of his discipleship, one has to undergo even though it is a painful process with the hope of grace of resurrection.

Then you may ask this question, "Then Why did Jesus choose him/call him?" The mystery of the choice remains, all the more since Jesus pronounces a very severe judgment on him: "Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!" (Mt 26: 24).

There are three biblical motivations for Judas' behavior: why does he betray Jesus? 

1. Greedy for money: What is the worth of 30 pieces of silver today? Historians agree that most probably, Judas was paid in Tyrian Shekel. This is because the Tyrian shekel was the currency used during the era to pay for the Temple tax in Jerusalem. So, if half a shekel was two days’ salary, one shekel was four days’ salary and therefore, 30 shekels were worth 4 months’ salary (120 days’ salary). He decided to betray the Lord for this invalid money. 

2. Judas was a zealot: Judas was part of this political-militaristic group who were fighting for their nation's liberation from the Romans. Judas learned that this is not possible for Jesus' preference for the kingdom of God through ministry to the poor. Judas would have been disappointed at seeing that Jesus did not fit into his program for the political-militaristic liberation of his own nation. 

3. Satan entered into Judas: Luke expressly says that Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot" (Lk 22: 3). It was not the personal initiative of Judas but voluntary act of devil, but with the freedom based on the personal responsibility of Judas, who shamefully ceded to a temptation of the Evil One.

The third one seems to be valid for me. Jesus has planned/predestined everything according to the thought of God. Your names are written in the palm of God. But He respects you to act in freedom. attention to the work of the devil here. Jesus does not force his will or protect it from the temptations of Satan, respecting human freedom. It is a combat between a disciple and the devil. Peter put everything on his own shoulders not allowing God to act at all saying, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”  Let us remember that one of the easiest manifestations of Satan is Ego.  

Let us remember two things in the cases of Peter and Judas.

1. Jesus respects our freedom. 

2. Jesus awaits our openness to repentance and conversion; he is rich in mercy and forgiveness. 

Judas also repented, but his repentance generated desperation and thus became self-destructive. The word "to betray" is the version of a Greek word that means "to consign". Do not surrender at any cost, at any moment. Sometimes the subject is even God in person: it was he who for love "consigned" Jesus for all of us (Rm 8: 32). In his mysterious salvific plan, God assumes Judas' inexcusable gesture as the occasion for the total gift of the Son for the redemption of the world.

SIN cannot be the last word; the last word is God's MERCY. Easter time is the adequate time. On the Cross, Christ opens his arms wide to all of us, nobody is excluded. Every repented thief has his place in Paradise. On condition, however, to change his life and remedy his shortcomings, like the thief in the Gospel: “And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal” (Lk 23:41).

Holy Monday

In the first reading God institutes the figure of the Saviour , he gives him all the possible credit and tells us to look at him. At Him only. 

Now the Gospel has many figures going around the Servant of God, Jesus. Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Jude ...many faces appear. Even Lazarus is depicted as one of the diners. There is a lot of movement at the dinner. But, the question is: who is looking only at Jesus? Are we following only him or are we taken by daily chores like Martha? Are we concerned about talking to people like Lazarus or maybe we are Judah who thinks of the poor outside or we are like the priests who think of their position? There are three persons and with their attitudes we begin the journey of Holy week. 

1. Any complaint should be an act of responsibility: if we complain we have to ask ourselves how we would have handled the situation and what we would be willing to do if we were in that position. Our complaint should have good motivation. Otherwise, we run the risk of unjustly criticizing someone for doing the best they can, according to the circumstances.

On the other hand, Mary anoints Jesus' feet and wipes them with her hair, because she truly believes that this is what she must do. This is an act of great benevolence toward Jesus: “Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard” (Jn 12:3). It is an act of love, and like any act of love, it is difficult to be understood by those who do not share it. I think that, at that very moment, Mary realized what St. Augustine wrote centuries later: “Perhaps on this earth the Lord’s feet are still in need. For of whom but of His members is He yet to say in the end, “Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of mine, ye did it unto me”? Ye spent what was superfluous for yourselves, but ye have done what was grateful to my feet.”

Judas' complaint has no utility whatsoever, and it only led him to treachery. Mary's act, on the other hand, led her to love her Lord even more and, as a consequence, to a greater love for all the “feet” of Christ in world today.

2.  Who is this Mary? 

According to Greek Orthodox traditions, there are three distinct women of which the Gospel of John speaks; Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, Mary, the sinner (prostitute) and Mary Magdalene whom she has been very forgiven because she has loved much. The Greek liturgy commemorates all three women separately while Latin church commonly commemorates one woman; Mary of Magdalene. 

Mary, the sinner, washing the feet of Jesus is a reminder for us who begin the journey of the Holy Week. The only one who really touched Jesus is Mary, she is even scolded for the waste of the perfume. She is at his feet, in humiliating position, washing his feet, giving all herself to the service. Why? Wasn't it more natural that the resurrected Lazarus should be in her place kissing the feet of Jesus for having given him another life opportunity?

1. She is silent and washes the feet of the Son of God. An act of high repentance for her misdeeds. 

2. An act of love; unique intimacy: 

3. An act of consecration;   

Today, the Gospel summarizes two different attitudes about dealing with God, Jesus-Christ and life itself. We see the attitude of Judas criticizing Mary for anointing Jesus' feet: “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?” (Jn 12:4-5). What Judas said makes sense as it ties in with Jesus' doctrine; but it is easy to criticize what others do, even when there are no hidden intentions, as it was with Judas’ case.

Jesus goes every day on the Cross for us. In the Eucharist  he offers himself. Where are we in the picture? Are we at his feet or somewhere else, passing by and even mocking him?

The gospel of the day is a pre- announcement of the Calvary scene. We are all different and we all have different roles but the most important one is in serving the Lord who loves us.

March 24, 2024,  John 12:1-11

How to spend the Holy Week? Whom we can follow? The Holy Week starts with the prostitute woman, a figure of pure passionate love. Who is she? 

According to Greek Orthodox traditions, there are three distinct women of which the Gospel of John speaks; Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, Mary, the sinner (prostitute) and Mary Magdalene whom she has been very forgiven because she has loved much. The Greek liturgy commemorates all three women separately while Latin church commonly commemorates one woman; Mary of Magdalene. 

1. Passionate love: Love of intimacy, Mary stands for her love of passion, intimacy and deep affection towards the one who is going to suffer right now. There are two cultural hindrances the woman is violating; No young woman can participate in a public Jewish banquet, they have their own place at the feast, public dinner (wedding at Cana, mother is a household lady). How can she come at center in front of a prophet? image of a prostitute, an attractive woman. 

The Lord allows her to wipe his feet with the hair (Jn 11).  No woman is found publicly with unbound hair (prostitute's symbolic act in Jewish parties).  There was a special study on “A Woman's Unbound Hair in the Greco-Roman World” Only two types of Jewish women can appear with hair unbound, prostitutes or women while having their relationship. In every case, this act of young woman, Mary expresses the love of passion, spousal love and nearness of intimacy to the one who is going to suffer. 

2. Judas makes a complaint, which seems to be valid. You need to look at the motivation is not genuine. Any complaint should be an act of responsibility: Complaints should be for the construction and proposals should be done with responsibility. Our complaint should have good motivation. Otherwise, we run the risk of unjustly criticizing someone for doing the best they can, according to the circumstances.

Judas said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor? Jesus meant to "You always have poor with you" in the sense, a different approach to poverty is required! do not get worried about solving all the problems of poverty within a day. they are always with humanity. Do you think the oil can be sold and distributed to the poor, how many will get the benefit, and how many days you can help them? 

Jesus is not against helping the persons of those in need. It was meant to be a way of recognizing this woman’s devotion and love. Leave her alone!  We say poor! but they enjoy it more than us! they are happy and more generous than us, Leave her alone should be interpreted like this! 

This is a powerful lesson for his disciples in every age. “the poor you will always have with you”. let us not exaggerate thinking about the poor in war, poor in our images, poor are not people “outside” our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization, restore their dignity and mutual sharing generates fraternity. Almsgiving is occasional; mutual sharing, on the other hand, is enduring.

Where are we in the picture? Are we at his feet or somewhere else, passing by and even mocking him?