Daily Reflection Monday After Psalm Sunday

The Holy Week liturgy begins with the anointing at Bethany from the beginning of John 12. It takes place at the home of Lazarus, and his sisters Martha and Mary are there. It must have been a joyous time for them despite Jesus being so aware that his time was near. But now was a time of quiet rejoicing. He was together with his three dear friends, one of whom he had just restored to life, as well as with his Apostles. It is marred only by Judas complaining about Mary. The Lord clearly rebukes Judas here. Who knows if Judas’ resentment at that triggered his betrayal.
 
As Jesus tells Judas, this is his anointing for his coming burial. Perhaps the beautiful prophesy in our first reading from the forty-second chapter of Isaiah is what we should concentrate upon. This is the first of the “Servant Songs” of Isaiah, or more correctly, Deutero-Isaiah. The Church has always seen in the mysterious “Servant” of Isaiah a direct prophesy of Jesus and thus everything the prophet says regarding this Servant is actually about Christ. Jesus is the one upheld by the Father who chose him and in whom the Father is well pleased. Those words from Isaiah here regarding the Father’s pleasure in him are directly quoted in Matthew at the conclusion of both Jesus’ baptism in the Jordon by John and his Transfiguration on the mountain when God’s voice spoke from heaven both of those times as it did in Isaiah. Indeed, Matthew quotes almost this entire passage in 12:18 as directly about Jesus. Jesus is the Servant of Isaiah.
 
The Spirit of God is within him to the fullest and he will bring about justice to all the nations. In this famous passage, Jesus’ gentleness and meekness are paramount. “The bruised reed he will not break and the smoldering wick he will not quench.” Jesus himself pronounced this about himself when he told us, we who labor and are heavy burdened, to come to him and learn from him for he is “Meek and humble of heart” and that we will find rest in him. Finally, Isaiah concludes by saying of Jesus that he was sent by God, “To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
 
Jesus will never refuse us or abandon us for any reason. We can always come to him with open arms and even with heavy hearts wracked by guilt and shame. His touch is always utterly tender and gentle, always healing never judging, never rejecting. “Neither do I condemn you.” His yoke is easy and light compared to the heavy, ponderous yokes we so often insist on continuously carrying. Only goodness and kindness follow him, and anyone else who follows him, all the days of our lives.
 
As we move into Holy Week, let us take Jesus words to his grieving Apostles to heart, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and faith in me.” Let this be the day we decide to go with him to Calvary knowing that God will also raise us up with him on the last day. Let us resolve to “leave your family and your father’s house” and follow him. For he is the Good Shepherd who leads us beside still waters and restores our souls.