Judging out of Jealousy

“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.”

John 12:6

Have you ever criticized someone for doing something because deep down you wished it was you who was doing it? An example might be someone buying an expensive gift for someone and I make a comment about how they shouldn’t have and what a waste of money they spent when in reality I sort of wished I got a nice gift too or maybe I wished I had that kind of money.

When Mary anointed Jesus with a liter of expensive oil and perfume, Judas criticized her for doing so and perhaps even criticized Jesus for accepting such a gesture. Judas questioned why the oil was not sold for money to give to the poor. Jesus rebuked him saying to let Mary do what she needed to do. If Judas was saying all this because he really wanted to give to the poor, it might be understandable, but that was not why he spoke up. If Judas really knew Jesus and who He was, he would not have passed this judgment. He did not know his Teacher. Judas was really thinking about himself. He wished he had that money so that he could use it for whatever he pleased. At the heart of what Judas said was envy, jealousy, and greed.

Despite this character flaw, Jesus allowed Judas to continue following Him. Jesus does not turn people away because they are imperfect. He came for the sinners. He prays for our conversion, and He so wants us to receive the Father’s mercy and forgiveness. But we must ask for it as well as open our hearts to it. Today let us ask the Lord to remove any tinge of jealousy and hypocrisy in our hearts so that our hearts may be turned completely to Him.

The Test of the Bandwagon

“Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:

    ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!’” 

Mark 11:9-10

It is easy to follow someone who is popular and well-liked, but when he or she falls out of favor, people usually leave and follow someone else who’d give them incentives. Since everyone’s following them or doing this, we must too! That’s the bandwagon effect. I wonder if that was the case when Our Lord entered into Jerusalem for one final time.

The people shouted “Hosanna in the highest!” A phrase acknowledging that Jesus was the Savior, the Messiah, but perhaps the Messiah as they had hoped and not as Jesus truly was. They wanted a political Messiah, one that would overthrow the Romans and so free the Jewish people from their rule. But Jesus was not that kind of Messiah. His Messiahship is one that points to Heaven, the Kingdom of God. The people had their eyes on the wrong prize. And soon they realized this when Jesus was sentenced to death. They went from exclaiming “Hosanna in the highest” to “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Where do we stand? Which camp do we belong to? Are we the ones that hop on the wagon and follow Jesus when He is popular and when others followed Him, laying down our clothes and palms as He rode into Jerusalem but then once things get a bit dicey and uncertain I turn around and say “Crucify Him!” as those around me begin to do?

To be a true follower of Christ is not to hop on the bandwagon. It is not an idea or concept that we believe in, but rather a person. The Person Jesus Christ who is both God and man, the Son of God, and who is One with the Father in heaven. We believe in this Jesus who came to earth, lived among us, and died for our sins. To follow Christ is to be with Him in both the good times and the bad, knowing that He is with us through it all.

Before you are two groups: one who hops on the bandwagon but hops off when things get uncertain and the other who stays with the Lord in life and in death. Which group do you stand with today?

The Impossible Possibility

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. The day when the “Word became flesh” and “dwelt among us.” The day when God took on flesh and became man. What religion do we know of whose God becomes one of them? And on top of that, because He loves them? There is no loving, relational God other than the Christian God. We have a God who loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son into the world, allowing Himself to be ridiculed, laughed at, mocked, scourged, nailed to a cross, and to die. Why? Why do all this? To show us that we are worth it, and that He loves us.

Through the Prophet Isaiah the Lord told King Ahaz that “the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’” A virgin will be with child. Not only a virgin then, but a virgin during and after. How can that be? It can be because the child is the Son of God. What is impossible for us is possible for God. Mary, Our Blessed Mother was immaculately conceived and has been chosen by God from all eternity to be the mother of His Son, the Mother of God. But it required Mary’s permission, her yes, her fiat. Because God loves us, He will not force Himself upon us or into our lives. Only Mary who had no stain of original sin was able to carry the Son of God. Yes, Mary was troubled. She questioned and sought clarification. She consented. To love is to act in freedom and to act in freedom is to do what one ought to do, and Mary did just that.

The moment Mary said yes, the Holy Spirit came upon her and the power of the Most High overshadowed her and at that, God became man and made His dwelling among us. With Mary’s yes, the plan of our salvation was made possible. God loved Mary. Mary loved God, and Mary loved His people. The fruit of love is life, and luckily for us, the fruit of this Love was eternal life.

Pray the “Angelus” today with us (at the end of the audio).