Don't you hate it when . . .

you think of the perfect response, oh, about two weeks later?

After my trip to NY to see Papa Benedict one of my classmates made the comment, which I've seen on left-wing blogs about a hundred times, that the Pope has "sooo much money" and "it just seems like he should give it to the poor and live more like Jesus." Generally when I've seen those types of comments on blogs I kind of do an eye roll and dismiss, but when someone says it to you in person you have to respond. So I squinched my eyebrows together at my classmate and mumbled that most of the Pope's "stuff" was gifts and that it didn't really belong to him, it belonged to the Church, so he can't just give it away.

Not a very satisfying response. Or persuasive.

So I was stewing about this interchange until it suddenly hit me:

Matthew 26:7-13

7There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.


Why, oh why, didn't I say something pithy, clever, and thought provoking like, "The disciples asked that same question of Jesus when the woman annointed him with expensive oils."

GRRRRRR!