The contrast is stunning. Mary is generous. As an act of worship, she anoints Jesus with this great gift of expensive perfume. She gives her all to Jesus. Judas is selfish, greedy, and deceptive. He doesn't truly care about the poor. He cares only for himself.
There's a Mary side to me, as I give myself and all I have to the Lord. After all, it's all God's anyway. What I have is only possible because God gives me life and all the blessings that come with life. Given that truth, sharing with others ought come rather easily. But there's a Judas side as well. I trust I'm not quite as selfish and deceptive as him, but that side of me says, "Hold on to what you have. It's your security for today and in the future." But this lesson reminds me that true security rests only in God. It challenges me to be more like Mary, devoting more time to worship and being as generous as possible with all of God's gifts.
I especially like your phrase "security rests only in God". It is so easy to think that we need to manage and hold on to what we believe we need for the sake of our family's security. The lesson that shouts to me in this meditation is "give SACRIFICIALLY". I can be a great doing-machine according to my schedule and energy, but I pray that I will become passionately and genuinely eager to do MORE...willing to do ANYthing that God calls me to do!
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