People come to see Jesus and Lazarus, who He raised from the dead. Some are curious. Others seek to understand. Many want to know Jesus better.

What do you see? We ask this question whenever we look at someone or something. We try to recognise the person before us, understand the situation we are in, or locate ourselves. Who or what we see determines our response to the person before us and the event we are in.

Many Jews are turning to Jesus and believing in him. Unlike them, the chief priests see Him as a threat. They cannot see Jesus' real identity.

Mary lavished expensive perfume on Jesus. To Judas, this is wasteful. To Mary, her's is the right action, for Jesus saves.

Today we are being challenged to see Jesus with the same clarity that the Jews and Mary had - to see Him as He really is.

Jesus is God's covenant with the people (1st Reading). God's light and salvation for everyone (Psalm). This is how we must see Jesus as we enter into Holy Week.

So much of Holy Week will overwhelm us as we accompany Jesus to the Cross. We will experience fear, pain, anger, loss, sadness, bereavement, even despair. These feelings can easily distract and blind us from seeing who Jesus is in His choices, words, and actions - not a teacher or miracle healer suffering and dying for us but God, who comes to die for us.