Luke 7:36-50
A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
God is God of morality — of undying principles of right and wrong.
But He is also God of love and, having made us, knows well our human frailties and shortcomings, for which He has an Ocean of Mercy.
He loves us so much, He suffered excruciatingly horrible tortures and died for us.
No matter our sins, be they large or small, heinous or trifling, if we are remorseful, He will forgive. As we are promised in Isaiah 1:18:
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow.
I still remember, after many years of wandering in the spiritual wilderness, the big Confession I made nearly 14 years ago which reconciled me with my Creator and wholly returned me to the Church. Confessing my greatest sin to Father Richard in Persona Christi, I broke down sobbing, choked with tears….
The following Sunday, when I received the Body of Christ from Father Richard, a former Professor of History, his eyes glistened with tears.
Psalm 32:1-5, 10
Blessed is the one whose fault is removed,
whose sin is forgiven.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no deceit.
Because I kept silent,
my bones wasted away;
I groaned all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength withered as in dry summer heat.
Then I declared my sin to you;
my guilt I did not hide.
I said, “I confess my transgression to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked one,
but mercy surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
If you are lost, harden not your heart.
May you find the humility to acknowledge your sins and ask our Lord for forgiveness.
And may the joy and peace and love of Jesus Christ our Lord be with you this glorious Sunday!
~Eowyn
