A Pharisee invited him 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 12 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; hence, she has shown great love. 13 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."
(Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.)
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; hence, she has shown great love. 13 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."
(Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.)
How we look at our relationship with God affects our relationship with others. We must realize that none of us have been saved except through the great love of God demonstrated by Jesus on the cross. It was out of God's love and compassion that we were all saved. On the cross, Jesus died for everyone. If we realize this, then we would see each other as fellow receivers of God's love and mercy.
We are all sinners. Nevertheless, sometimes we even have the nerve to look down on others whose sins are publicly known or are considered more grave than our own sins. These people will only run farther away from God if they are discriminated by the people they look up to as holier than they are. If they experience people holier than them harshly judging them, they will only think that God is also judging them in the same way. But that is not so. God wants them to be saved too. We must be instruments of God's love and mercy. We must be the ones to tell them that God wants to embrace them and to welcome them back.
Today, God calls us to go back to Him. He is trying to say that He loves us and that He is waiting for us, even though we have sinned so much. He is waiting for us to love Him back. As prodigal sons of the Father, we should return to Him. But along the way, let us call up our brothers and sisters who have also gone astray and invite them to return to the Father's house. What a family reunion that would be!
We are all sinners. Nevertheless, sometimes we even have the nerve to look down on others whose sins are publicly known or are considered more grave than our own sins. These people will only run farther away from God if they are discriminated by the people they look up to as holier than they are. If they experience people holier than them harshly judging them, they will only think that God is also judging them in the same way. But that is not so. God wants them to be saved too. We must be instruments of God's love and mercy. We must be the ones to tell them that God wants to embrace them and to welcome them back.
Today, God calls us to go back to Him. He is trying to say that He loves us and that He is waiting for us, even though we have sinned so much. He is waiting for us to love Him back. As prodigal sons of the Father, we should return to Him. But along the way, let us call up our brothers and sisters who have also gone astray and invite them to return to the Father's house. What a family reunion that would be!
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