Week 3: Wednesday & Thursday

Wednesday Scripture: Mark 14:1-11:

It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”


While Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me.  For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.  She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”


Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.


Thursday Scripture:  Mark 14:17-25:

When it was evening, he came with the twelve.  And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.”


While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it.  He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.  Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Reflection:

Jesus is about to die. But first he will be betrayed.  Betrayal is so much more than turning someone in.  Betrayal means to turn against someone who you have been in a relationship of trust.  The authorities are looking for a way to secretly arrest and kill Jesus.  Judas betrays Jesus.  He makes Jesus’ arrest and death possible. Woven into this heartbreaking action are two meals.  At the first meal the deep love of an unnamed woman disciple for Jesus is highlighted.  At the second meal the deep love of Jesus for us is highlighted.


On Wednesday evening of Holy Week, a whole year’s worth of paychecks is poured out and over Jesus from an alabaster jar.  That’s how valuable this oil is.  And there’s no going back once the woman begins pouring:  the jar had to be broken open to release the oil.  This is an all or nothing action.  The disciples would have preferred the “nothing.”  Jesus prefers the “all.” In less than 48 hours, he will be dead and his body in a tomb.  In our scripture reading last week, Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart.”  Such love is shown by this woman who is anointing him for his imminent burial.


On Thursday evening, Jesus shows his deep love for the disciples sitting at the dinner table with him but also his deep love for us.  It is now less than 24 hours, and Jesus will be dead and his body in a tomb.  Sitting at the table with him is the one whose betrayal will set things in motion for that to happen.  Jesus is neither angry nor accusing.  He is honest and compassionate.  In that love and compassion, he takes Passover meal of the Jewish faith and transforms it into a meal of the self-giving love that his death is all about.  The bread he breaks is his body that will be broken.  The wine he pours is his blood that will be poured out from his crucified body.  In love, Jesus takes the worst that can happen and uses it to be the best that can happen.

Invitations:

  • Reflect on this week’s scripture.  Are there any words or ideas that especially resonate with you or challenge you?

  • How do you love God “with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”?

  • The next time you are at Holy Communion remember the events of Thursday of Holy Week.  Remember this meal as Jesus’ gift of love to you.


Prayer:
Jesus,

I want to walk with you through this Holy Week.

Open the eyes of my heart to see you more clearly.

Open the ears of my heart to hear more clearly your love for me.

Amen.