The 5th Lent Sunday: Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
Key Verse: “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (John 12:8)
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Hello, This is Jade.
Welcome to Yi.kigai
A space for all to explore the intersection between faith and daily life
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Lenten Blessings. It is the 5th Sunday of Lent.
Have you heard of the tree of life located on Kalaloch Beach in Forks, Washington? I have, but haven’t seen it in person. I have visited that area twice, but how could I have not known about it and missed it? If you google it, you will see that the root tendrils of this Sitka spruce tree cling to either side of the sandy cliff which creates a cave-like space under the tree. It’s quite an awe-inspiring view. After learning about the tree of life, I proposed to my family that we visit it sometime in the future so that I can see it in person. At the same time, I can’t help wondering why the pictures I saw on the internet could not satisfy my desire to see it in person. I couldn’t come up with a good answer.
If we think about it, there are countless experiences we have missed in our lifetimes; some are once in a lifetime experiences that we’ve miss and wish we could’ve been there, like my great grandma’s funeral; some experiences can become a reality if we are intentional in making them happen, like visiting the tree of life; and sometimes, we’re grateful that we miss an experience, like the time that my husband and I narrowly avoided becoming victims of an avalanche.
In John 12, Jesus and his disciples were having a meal at the home of Lazarus--Mary and Martha, his two sisters, were also present. Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with the costly perfume that she bought for Lazarus’ funeral but had probably never used since Jesus resurrected him. And Judas probably had disagreed with the direction Jesus was heading and decided to betray him by working with the chief priests and the Pharisees to capture him. What could Jesus' disciples possibly have missed in this story? Mary had seized her opportunity to anoint Jesus even before Jesus’ imminent suffering and death, which the rest of the disciples had missed. Judas was preoccupied with his own greed and ego but had missed the opportunity to learn and repent, which led him to miss the opportunity to receive the peace - the power to forgive that Jesus gave to his disciples after Jesus’ resurrection. Judas had missed this greatly and feeling remorseful later on, had returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders in Matthew 27.
LIfe is neither long nor short, but it is about living in each moment with gratitude and remembering it. While feeling blessed and treasuring each moment with our loved ones, we give thanks to God for all the blessings that we have, whether we notice them or not. And with God’s help and guidance, may we notice those in our surroundings who are feeling anxious or unworthy and who are in a survival mode, and pray with them and for them. If possible, journey with them to see how God unfolds God’s mercy and justice in our lives together.
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May your coming week be blessed by God’s grace
As together we explore the intersection between faith and daily life
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