“Your sins are forgiven… your faith has saved you, go in peace.”
— Luke 7:36-50
In two sentences, Jesus lifts the burden of guilt and shame from the shoulders of the sinful woman. Guilt and shame come with sin. Sin is a heavy burden. But, the woman has faith in the love and mercy of God. She believes Jesus can change her life, she trusts Him. She doesn’t know the Scriptures inside and out like Simon the Pharisee. But, the sinful woman loves God from the depths of her heart, anyway.
As a Pharisee, Simon has a position of respect and authority in his city. He’s likely a good man. He may have done very little “wrong” in his life. He knows that if he sins, he’ll be in the same position as the sinful woman: an outcast, guilt-ridden, and burdened. Everyone knows she is a sinner. So, she is not welcome at the table of a respectable and righteous Pharisee. Jesus is welcome in Simon’s home, but Simon judges Jesus when the sinful woman enters his home and touches the Lord. He says to himself, if Jesus were a prophet, he would know this woman is a sinner. Simon decides: Jesus must not be a prophet, He must not be the Messiah. In Simon’s mind, if Jesus were God, He wouldn’t welcome this sinful woman, nevermind, let her touch Him.
But, the woman does not see Jesus as Simon does. Simon approaches the Lord with skepticism and doubt. Simon can’t see that Jesus is God dwelling in the midst of his home. Simon thinks he is a “good enough” man, he knows “what he knows” about God. But because of Simon’s self-righteousness, he’s blind to the reality. In his heart, he sits in judgement over Jesus. He sits in judgement over God and how God works among His people and in the world.
But, the sinful woman approaches Jesus differently. Rather than doubting, judging and criticizing the Lord, she approaches Him with humility. She approaches Him with a broken heart. And out of her broken heart pours a fragrant perfume: her deep love for God. Instead of offering to God judgment of Him, the woman offers her tears of repentance.
And, Jesus recognizes the difference and compares Simon’s hospitality to the sinful woman’s. In Simon’s mind, he owes nothing to the Lord, he’s a “good enough” man. But, he should’ve searched the Scriptures; he should’ve known God’s visitation; he should’ve known that Jesus is God with Us; but, Simon doesn’t recognize the reality of the situation. Simon in his self-righteousness doesn’t realize his debt to the Lord is unpayable.
So, Simon shows hospitality and dines with the Lord at his house, but it’s only an appearance. Simon does not welcome the Lord into his heart. Simon does not even give Jesus water to wash His own feet. Simon doesn’t kiss His Holy Face or anoint His head with oil. Simon, satisfied with being a “good enough” man, doesn’t love the Lord from his heart with all he’s got.
But, the sinful woman has no false charade. She knows she’s in the presence of God, she has faith in His power and His love. She takes a posture of deep humility, washing his feet in her tears of repentance. She breaks her alabaster jar of oil and anoints His feet, a sign of the sweet fragrance of her broken heart. She’s aware of her great sin and her great debt to God. She knows the reality: she utterly depends on God to lift the burden of her sin, guilt and shame. She believes and she loves the Lord deeply from her heart.
Simon doesn’t recognize the Lord in his home. Simon doesn’t know his utter dependence on the love and mercy of God. But, God forgives the debts and trespasses of both Simon and the woman, freely. Simon loves a little in return, the sinful woman loves the Lord with everything she’s got.
We too may forget to humble ourselves before God. We may be satisfied with being “good enough,” knowing we’re respectable members of society. We might not judge Jesus for letting a sinful woman touch Him. We might not criticize Jesus for forgiving a sinner’s sins. But, do we recognize the Presence of God in our hearts and homes? Do we love the Lord with all we’ve got? Do we recognize the Lord in His priesthood, in His Eucharist, in our sacred marriages?
We are dust, we are mortal, we are sinners. We live on a tiny planet in a vast universe, we are nothing. But, God is Love, God is Truth, God’s hand has created all things that exist. He knows every star by name, and yet He knows how many hairs you have on your head. God loves you, He reaches out to you, He desires your happiness, He wants to lift the burden of sin, guilt and shame from your weary shoulders. If we have the eyes to see Him and believe in His presence; we will confess our sins in our hearts and wash His feet with even a half a tear of repentance. If we believe the Lord is present in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we will hear the words of Jesus through the mouth of the priest, “your sins are forgiven, go in peace.”
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