November 20, 2022
Gospel – April 6, 2020 – John 12:1-11
Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
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?”
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, “Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.
Fear is the opposite of love.
Love raised Lazarus from the dead.
Fear destroyed so much good. The Pharisees wanted (and eventually did) to kill Jesus out of fear. Judas betrayed Jesus out of fear that Jesus wouldn’t cast the Romans out and deliver the people of Israel from enslavement. Eventually, the Pharisees lost their power anyhow. Jesus did save the Israelites and everyone of us.
Love is always stronger than fear.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 