Place It in My Heart. Reflection for marriages. Luke 7:36-50

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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.”

Place It in My Heart

Today the Lord opens His Heart and shows us the tenderness of His Love. It is true that He misses from the Pharisee the usual gestures of courtesy and welcome, but what He misses the most is the love, devotion, and tenderness that, on the contrary, he saw in the sinful woman and moved Him. And I remember Jesus’ words to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in response to the suffering caused by the indifference against Him: “At least you, love Me.”

Jesus, I want to love You in everything I do and think: by reading the Gospel with devotion, taking part in Mass with love and attention, receiving Holy Communion with reverence and devotion, doing my work well, helping a colleague… and all out of love, to console You and give glory to the Father. And above all, Lord, I want to love You in my spouse with that same love. You place it in my heart.

Applied to Married Life:

Sonia: Jason, anything wrong? You’re very quiet.

Jason: It’s been a difficult day. But I don’t want to burden you with my problems.

Sonia: And I was just about to carry on with my own things without even asking you… Come here, tell me about it.

Jason: Now? I know you’re tired.

Sonia: Yes, but you are more important to me than finishing everything I still have to do.

Jason: Thank you. I just needed to feel that you were there for me.

Sonia: While I was listening to you, I thought: How many times might Jesus also be waiting for a gesture of love from me, and I simply walk past Him?

Jason: Perhaps that’s why He brought us together: so that we can learn to love Him by loving each other.

Sonia: Then today I want to console Him by taking care of you. Listening to you without rushing, looking at you with tenderness, holding you…

Jason: Do you know what I feel when you do that?

Sonia: What?

Jason: That He is loving me through you.

Sonia: Lord, may I never take for granted this husband You have given me. Teach me to love You in him.

Jason: And me, in you.

Mother,

Ask your Son to give us a tender heart like His, like yours. Blessed are you, Mother!

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