Monday in Holy Week.

"Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 36:5-10, Isaiah 42:1-9, Hebrews 11:39-12:3, and John 12:1-11


Even though our gospel for today is out of the chronological order of John's gospel, it's an integral part of our understanding of Jesus's ministry, the meaning of his death and resurrection, and our response to these things. As the gospel goes this story comes even before Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, but the symbolism of his being anointed for burial cannot be overlooked this week.

Within this passage I'm always intrigued by the line from Jesus in response to Judas when he says, "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." This strikes me for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons is the editorializing the evangelist takes on to remind us that Judas was a thief who didn't care about the poor. Another reason, though, is that it brings to light the tension we sometimes feel between worship and mission. More specifically, it makes us think about what it means to worship God and what it means to serve God's people.

There are people who have struggled mightily with this issue, and there are churches who struggle with it, also. I think the questions become, "Can we fully worship God if we're not doing the work of the Church?" or "What if we do good things, but we are not worshipping God?"  This can stir up some great conversation about what it means to be a Christian. Is it just about worship? Is it just about living how Jesus calls us to live? What kind of balance must we strike in order to have a more whole life?

I don't know the answer, but it's one we should keep at the forefront of our thoughts as we continue through this week on our journey to the Cross and afterward.