(John. 12, 1-18)
How interested are we to meet Christ?
Six days before Christ’s passion, we find the Lord at the house of Martha and Mary where he had resurrected their brother Lazarus. Out of deep gratitude, Mary anoints the Lord’s feet with myrrh. And Judas protests, supposedly from concern for the poor. Here, we see Mary’s loving disposition towards the Lord, which calculates neither money, nor what impression this will give to those around her. Perhaps few Christians understand what great importance this worship of the Lord has. Usually we become busy with practical things, more or less just like Judas is thinking here as well.
Taking the example from Mary, we must stress here that it is a worshipping disposition towards Christ that has great importance. This is not something simply expressed through a few works. It is the deepest flame, the desire of the soul to be given God and to enjoy him. However, few overcome the impediments which they must overcome in order to arrive at union and communion with God, which is incomprehensible delight.
Also, the evangelist stresses that certainly many came to see Jesus but mostly Lazarus, and his resurrection, although Jesus is everything. In this manner, men rise up in certain situations to hear certain news, to satisfy their curiosity and not to have personal communion with Christ. And this is incredible.
And so, we Christians, how interested are we to meet with Christ? Usually other things that encircle Christ move us, attract our interest, but nobody seeks Christ. People do not have a disposition to travel along with Christ and to go where he goes – to his Passion – and to where he leads them.
As we come, my brothers, into Holy Week, let us consider these things, so that with the grace of God, this time we will truly be there with the Lord. To feel his love but also to love him without calculations, without a disposition to be rewarded – at such times no one thinks of what he will get. Truly, therefore, we are to die to sin and to rise with the Lord in new life.
Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications.
Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos
Palm Sunday
