Gospel
From the Gospel according to Luke
7:36-50
A certain 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;
hence, 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.”
Today’s Gospel presents us with two people and two ways of being before Jesus. The Pharisee is a “religious” man, proper, polite, well-educated, with sound judgement. Faced with a question posed by the Master, he answers and receives Jesus’ praise: “You have judged rightly.”
The sinner, on the other hand, was a woman of the world, ordinary, without any learning. She “only” had in her heart the desire to repair, to humble herself, to love. And before such great love, the Lord tells her the most beautiful words we could ever hear: “You have loved much, your faith has saved you.”
In our marriage we run the risk of “judging rightly” our spouse’s actions. Rightly, yes; but without love. Before “objectively” wrong deeds, even before the sin of my spouse, the Lord does not call me to “judge rightly” but to welcome and to love — to love much.
Brought Down to Married Life:
(Theresa is speaking with Catherine, her mentor)
Theresa: Look Catherine, I just can’t take any more of Edward’s lack of seriousness.
Catherine: What’s happened?
Theresa: The same as always. We had a meeting at school with our son’s teacher, and, as usual, Edward turned up half an hour late. And then he spent the whole time looking at his phone. He always does the same thing. He makes me feel so embarrassed.
Catherine: No wonder you had a difficult time. And how did you respond?
Theresa: Very angrily. I told him he was rude, that he embarrassed me. That people have already “clocked” him. That he always promises it won’t happen again but that he’s unreliable and ill-mannered.
Catherine: It’s true that being late and not paying attention in a conversation is “objectively” wrong. But you are not called to react by giving in to anger and frustration, but rather to respond with love. Correct him, but with love. Tell him — when you’re able to do it calmly.
Theresa: I know you’re right, but it’s so hard for me to stay calm. Poor thing, deep down he suffers from that lack of order and attention. I want to be a helper suitable for him.
Mother,
We want to kiss and anoint the precious feet of Jesus; we want to love much. Help us, you, Mother of conjugal love. Blessed be the Lord for His love and mercy towards us!