Lectio Reflection on John 12:1-11 – Recognizing Deception
Has your prayer-based intuition helped you with recognizing deception enough so that you can walk away or change the course of the result? John transports us into a scene of watching Mary’s great love of Jesus become present for us. Remarkably, the same passage gives us the opposite learning opportunities of deceit. In the same breath, opposite to witnessing an expression of unconditional adoration, we hear about skimming financial resources and revenge. Many of our encounters include the opportunity to identify the delightful completeness of being both human and divine. Jesus’s perpetual presence mingles and helps create intuition that can surface virtues and deny vices.
Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Martha at Bethany by James Tissot.
The full-resolution painting and more details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
John 12:1-11 – Scripture*
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii 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 kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
The Plot to Kill Lazarus
9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel and reading this Lectio Divina on John 12:1-11 Reflection – Recognizing Deception.
Would you like to contribute related thoughts to these Lectio reflections on the Gospel readings? Since Lectio is not the only contemplative prayer style, others might appreciate these types of expressions in this ministry. Do you see God’s grandeur everywhere and unconditionally enjoy sharing the love of Christ that you have inside? Are you willing to be anonymous in what you would share? If so, email me.
Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite worldly distractions.
Attributions
*This site has permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible John 12 passage.
This site follows the guidelines for image web use at the website of the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum.