Opening Prayer
O heavenly Father, we have loved Thee but not enough, we have sought Thee but not diligently, we have seen but not perceived, we have heard but not understood, we have hoped for heavenly things but clung to things of this earth, and our hearts have been far from Thee, the Holy One. Draw them now in mercy unto Thyself, O God, that the time to come be not as the past, but that finding, perceiving, understanding, and loving Thee, we may have rest and joy undisturbed forevermore.
—Anonymous
TEXT
John 12:1-11 CEV
Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus from death. A meal had been prepared for Jesus. Martha was doing the serving, and Lazarus himself was there. Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet. She wiped them with her hair, and the sweet smell of the perfume filled the house.
A disciple named Judas Iscariot was there. He was the one who was going to betray Jesus, and he asked, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” Judas did not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag and sometimes would steal from it.
Jesus replied, “Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor with you, but you won’t always have me.”
A lot of people came when they heard that Jesus was there. They also wanted to see Lazarus, because Jesus had raised him from death. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus. He was the reason that many of the Jewish leaders were turning from them and putting their faith in Jesus.