Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 15, 2019
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.
I come from a relatively small town in Indiana not far from Notre Dame. Like much of rural America, my town isn’t comprised of subdivisions of million-dollar homes, and the town’s center isn’t lined with skyscrapers. I would guess that the average family income isn’t far above the national average. But something I don’t see often in my hometown is homeless people. South Bend is not like my hometown. South Bend has much more activity than my hometown and a vibrant, rebuilt downtown area. But South Bend also has many homeless people.
When you aren’t exposed to homelessness, it’s very difficult to understand the situation of people experiencing homelessness and look at them the same way we look at ourselves. What’s the first thing you think of when you picture a homeless person? It probably isn’t very positive, is it? When I became Catholic last year and received the sacraments on Easter Vigil, I developed a new way of seeing these homeless people. Influenced by the good example of my godfather, I began to learn to see Christ in the homeless. Now, as I drive by a homeless person off campus, I say a silent prayer for them.
Jesus tells us that his Church is the church of the poor. The poor, the homeless, will always be with us, and we, as the body of that Church, are called to love and embrace them. The Catholic Church is not the Catholic Church without a love for the poor. As we journey through the rest of this Holy Week, I pray that we might see Crucified Christ as an image of the poor and likewise see Christ in the poor, loving them and embracing them as we love and embrace Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, ever present at our table, grant that we may receive a share of the great love that Mary had for you and, through humble service to the poor, may we encounter you, face to holy face. We ask this through your name, as you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Anastasia and a friend, Basilissa, were Roman noblewomen who were converted to the faith when they heard the preaching of Sts. Peter and Paul.
When Peter and Paul were killed, these two women removed their bodies at night and provided for their burial. The authorities discovered their actions, and they were arrested and thrown into prison. When they were brought before the court, they acknowledged their faith without fear and were martyred.
The relics of St. Anastasia rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus.
St. Anastasia, you were the Roman martyr who was converted by Peter and Paul—pray for us!