Homily for Monday of Holy Week

Both . . . and. It is the usual Catholic answer to an apparent conflict, contradiction or paradox. Both . . . and.

Scripture or tradition?

Faith or works?

Contemplation or action?

Individual or communal?

The answer to all these questions is both . . . and. So too Jesus' answer to Judas in today's Gospel. Not either serving the poor or loving extravagantly, both both.

Jesus points out that Judas has no right to make the judgment that since Mary is anointing his feet, that she is necessarily unconcerned about the poor. The argument does not follow. Loving extravagantly and serving the poor is not an either, or dichotomy. Not in any way at all. If anything, Jesus points out that Mary's willingness to love Him without counting the cost makes it all the more likely that she will leave everything that she has to the poor, so that she may follow Him all the more closely. It is not an either, or scenario. It is both, and.

This Gospel highlights the virtue of human friendship. By all accounts, Mary, Martha and Lazarus were the best friends of Jesus. He loved just spending time with them, wasting time with them, without counting the cost, and the value he puts on their friendship does not waver in the face of the terrible mission that lies just before him in a matter of days. May this blessing of friendship, friendships within which we find the freedom to love extravagantly, help us always to give as the Lord commands us to give, without counting the cost! +m