Please read the Scripture passage before the homily.
On April 4, 1974, a huge tornado struck Xenia, Ohio. For many weekends, it was hard to clean up because many sightseers would drive through town looking at the destruction. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and many people came to town to see Lazarus. Jesus had done many signs so that people would believe in him. They seemed to believe in Lazarus more than in Jesus.
Jesus and his disciples came for supper. Judas was there, but he was a thief and did not care much about poor people. Martha was there, doing the cooking, as usual. Mary was there, doing her thing, which, this time, was anointing Jesus’ feet with costly perfume. Lazarus was there, but he had a price on his head for having been raised from the dead.
The Gospel passages for the first three days of Holy Week prepare us for the liturgical celebration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection from Thursday to Easter Sunday. Jesus was anointed for his burial; Judas would betray him. Jesus was not afraid; Jesus would go to his death like a king going to his coronation. The executioners would not kill Jesus, but Jesus would hand over his spirit to the Father.
With whom do we relate, to Martha, to Mary, to Lazarus, to Judas, to Jesus, to the sightseers, to the chief priests, or to the many Jews who began to believe in Jesus?