So Close,Yet So Far

‘You have the poor always with you…’ (Mt.26:11)
From the verse cited above would it mean that Jesus was for the status quo? Didn’t he care for the poor or for their betterment? Let us look in what context he made this statement. Jesus as we read in the gospel was dining in the house of Simon the leper. In that house of festivity one can well imagine what was the mood like: while wine flowed and conversation uncorked from the guests assembled, there must have flowed plenty of small talk all froth and goodwill. In the midst of it a woman did something very unusual but very significant considering that enemies of Jesus was very much active. (Their schemes cannot have been laid out in absolute secrecy.) The woman who brought the alabaster box with precious ointment must have had an inkling that Jesus may be ‘taken out’ as we hear of the expression these days. Jesus must have surely known his life was on collision course and there was surely a point where his earthly mission had to stop. So her act however extravagant was in line with his ministry. ‘She hath wrought a good work upon me’ as Jesus saw it. She tapped on the spirit of Christ that radiated from his words and deeds as to anticipate a moment where her action could dovetail into his ministry. She knew the time and place; and also how to give to her hurt.
The Lord loves a cheerful giver, as St. Paul would say. It comes to us as a surprise that the disciples were moved with indignation. They may have often moved with their master but did that help them to plumb the depths of their master? No, they were more wrapped in the daily grind of their ministry than see the true significance of her action. Their ministry was done as per his master’s injunction, ‘Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses.’(St. Mat 10:9-10) They had scrimped and saved in order to be found worthy of their meat. Perhaps it was excusable that they judged her extravagance from their circumstances. Are we not guilty of judging others without understanding their circumstances?
benny