The Pardon of the Sinful Woman

Today's Reflections

                                                  

 

     

The Pardon of the Sinful Woman

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Lk 7:36-—8:3

³⁶A Pharisee invited [Jesus] to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. ³⁷Now 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, ³⁸she 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. ³⁹When 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.” ⁴⁰Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. ⁴¹“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. ⁴²Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” ⁴³Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴Then 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. ⁴⁵You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. ⁴⁶You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” ⁴⁸He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

¹Afterward 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 ²and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, ³Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

Reflection:

Your faith has saved you. Jesus vindicates the sinful woman before the Pharisee-host Simon and the people. The sinful woman comes in uninvited. She performs a surprisingly extravagant act: washing Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, and anointing them with oil. Simon does not look kindly on her and on Jesus. But Jesus defends the woman and reproaches his host.

Jesus does not judge the woman by her past. He regards her for her present. She was a sinner before, but she is repentant now. And her gesture towards Jesus shows the depth and extent of her repentance. Jesus declares her forgiven and saved.

Jesus looks not so much at our past but at our present. No one is hopeless before him. If we repent and believe, we shall also be forgiven.

Are we like Jesus, refusing to judge people by their past but regarding kindly their present actions and dispositions? Or are we like the Pharisee who boxes people in their past?

Encourage people to move on,

not keep them stuck where you find them.