Tuesday, April
3 – Read Matthew 26:1-16
The festival of the Passover is an
important Jewish celebration that continues to this day. It celebrates the
exodus of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt under the leadership of
Moses. As you may know, there were ten plagues that Moses unleashed on the
Egyptians that finally persuaded the Pharaoh to let them go. The tenth and
worst plague was that God’s angel of death went through the land, killing all
first-borns. The people of Israel were saved by slaughtering a lamb and
smearing some of its blood on their lintels and door posts. Thus the angel knew
which households to avoid. The people then ate the lamb with hastily prepared
unleavened bread to strengthen them for their long journey to freedom. Now
Jesus tells his disciples that the Passover is coming in two days and that he
will be handed over to be crucified.
At dinner that night a woman anoints
Jesus with costly ointment, angering the disciples who think it could have been
sold to help the poor. They have not really absorbed what Jesus has told them
about his death. Jesus, however, recognizes the woman’s act as a gift of love
and mercy, preparing his body for burial. He affirms her and what she has done,
saying it will be remembered wherever the gospel is told. Then Judas goes to
the chief priests and strikes a bargain with them to betray Jesus.
Reflection Questions: Why do you think the disciples have
such a hard time understanding what is going to happen to Jesus? How is Jesus
going to be like the sacrificial lamb that the people of Israel slaughtered?
Prayer: Dear God, kindle in me the same love
and compassion for Jesus that was shown by the woman who anointed him. I pray
in the merciful name of Jesus. Amen.
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