June 7, 2024 

Today's Reading: John 12:1-19

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 4:1-27; John 12:1-19

For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” John 12:8 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This side of glory, the poor, you will always have with you. And for some reason, it’s used as an excuse. Ironically enough, it seems to apply even though we don’t have Jesus with us anymore the way He is in the text. But hey, why work on what you can’t fix? Feigned helplessness is the best. Why work out if you’ll always be overweight? Why struggle against sin if you’ll fall back into it? Why donate to a charity that feeds the homeless if it won’t feed all of them? Helplessness feels great to sinners because it’s a chance to free ourselves from the burden of viewing love for neighbor as a sacrifice instead of just a wish for better. It will just be this way. So, let’s go back to what feels good enough to distract us from it. Double points if it feels virtuous, like calls to action on social media or pointing out other people’s problems.  

Jesus stops Judas from taking the ointment from Mary and selling it. He says to save it for the day of His burial. But it didn’t fix that either. He still rode into Jerusalem and died. Which was a good thing, remember? Maybe the ointment wasn’t given to fix anything at all, only to point to what actually could. Christ’s death for Mary and her devotion, for Judas and his sin, and even for the poor, who would still be poor after He breathed His last. The death and resurrection of Jesus is for you in your helplessness, not so you can shove aside the burden of addressing what’s wrong in front of you, but for you to know that you don’t hang hope on the other side of fixing it. Even the least of these can receive it. 

It will be fixed in the resurrection, but until then, you still have the same Christ who saves you from yourself and from the world. You still have a life death cannot destroy, and treasure thieves cannot break in and steal. You have His love, manifest in Word and Sacrament, and you have the love of your neighbor too. And it frees us to love each other without the burden of solving every problem. Wishes for better sacrifice nothing and won’t be satisfied until things are fixed, even though that won’t happen on this side of glory. They leave nothing but angst. Love is a sacrifice, even if your sacrifice won’t make things perfect. Christ already did that. Relax. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  

Draw near and take the body of the Lord, And drink the holy blood for you outpoured; Offered was He for greatest and for least, Himself the victim and Himself the priest. (637:1)

- Rev. Harrison Goodman is the content executive for Higher Things.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.