Hi folks
Yesterday was Palm Sunday, and this week is the our Holy week, its also the week that Lent will come to an end on Thursday evening.
This week, there are bible reading that I will share, telling the story of Jesus last week, what he got up to, how his life came to an end, and all the bits in between. Todays reading, is John 12:1-11, and is a secret favourite of mine, as I think we can all relate to Mary and Martha as different points in our life, or even during a day! Mary is busy serving the dinner, and Martha is busy using her expensive perfume to clean that feet of Jesus. Both are helping. Matthew talked yesterday to us about looking out for the helpers the now, and that is where we must look, we have the Mary’s out there physically doing work to help us, and the Martha’s, who are isolating, but calling and caring for us with words. Both, are of value, both give us hope
Good News Translation:
Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death. 2 They prepared a dinner for him there, which Martha helped serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at the table with Jesus. 3 Then Mary took a whole pint of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house. 4 One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot—the one who was going to betray him—said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins[a] and the money given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.
7 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.”
The Plot against Lazarus
9 A large number of people heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there, not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from death. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too, 11 because on his account many Jews were rejecting them and believing in Jesus.
God, Hear our prayer, with the wind hitting the window, but the quietness of now cars going pass, hear our silence, our thoughts , hear our words.
We pray for and with those who now have to plan a funeral for a loved one, who have to plan a service that feels strange and quiet, but in the midst of small numbers, you are there, the Mary helping the family lie the funeral directors, the grave teams, the crematorium staff, you are the Martha of our friends who call, of the words said at the grave side or crème, you are there, and this we give our prayers, Amen
