You will always have . . .

In today's gospel story Jesus has come to the home of his dear friends Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.  Martha as usual is busy taking care of the physical needs of the guests, but Mary does somethg very extraordinary.  Mary takes a bottle of expensive perfume and annoints Jesus' feet with it and then dries them with her hair. 

Judas, who kept the money purse for the apostles, and would soon betray Christ is indignant at the waste of the expensive perfume which "could have been used for the poor".  In response to Judas' indignation Jesus says something very puzzeling. 

You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

What is Jesus telling his apostles here? Hasn't her promised that he will always be with them?  Is he preparing them for his eventual (and soon) death on the cross).  He is giving them a hint about how they can find him after he is no longer physically present to them.

 He has constantly told them that they must reach out to the poor, and in fact what they do for the poor and weak and downtrodden they are doing for Jesus himself.  Aha!  Perhaps this is one of those times when he is giving them a puzzle that can be solved only by action.

If they work for the poor, they will continue to have Jesus with them always in their daily lives.  They will see him in the face of every person they encounter as they go about their work. 

Are you able to see Jesus in everyone you encounter in your day. especially those people who demand the most of you?  That should be your challenge today.  Encounter Jesus in everyone you meet.  How will that change how you respond to them?

PAX