What Would Jesus Say?

This from the Catholic World News....it seems that some self-identified dissidents are critical of money...privately donated money at that...being spent on World Youth Day and the Pope's visit to Spain.

The Priests’ Forum, which claims to represent pastors in Madrid’s poor neighborhoods, objects to the corporate subsidies. Charging that the multinational corporations that are sponsoring the visit are also responsible for the worldwide economic crisis, the group argues that the Church should not accept such funding.

Critics are also complaining that the costs of WYD are excessive in light of the budget cuts that have been forced on many Western governments, including Spain’s. Echoing an argument that is advanced in the Gospels(John 12:4-5), the Priests’ Forum suggests that the money invested in WYD could have been spent on the poor.

An interesting argument to make to say the least, however, they aren't really making the convincing argument that they think they are. At least they had the sense to quote another rather prominent dissident. Here's the passage they cite (John 12:4-5):

"4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

But it is in the passage that immediately follows this that we find the grain of truth in what they're saying....because the complete passage (John 12: 4-6) says this:

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b]” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Uhmm...OK. So what would Jesus say?

8 You will always have the poor among you,[c] but you will not always have me.”


You really have to be careful when quoting scripture.