For she loved much

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

- Luke 7:36-50

In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke of John the Baptist. John is in prison, and sent his disciples to inquire if Jesus is "the Coming One." Jesus replied by performing many healings and exorcisms, and He said, referring to prophecy about "the Coming One," "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." Jesus then spoke to the critics of both Himself and John the Baptist. They are among the religious leadership who felt they needed neither John's baptism of repentance, nor heeded Jesus' preaching - and criticized each of them for their conduct, John the stern ascetic, and Jesus for eating and drinking with His disciples. See Wisdom is justified by all her children.

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." My study bible notes that, "Some Pharisees were open to Jesus' mission, as indicated by their gesture of hospitality towards Him (v. 36). Yet they could not entirely free themselves from their suspicions and prejudices." This is not the only story of a woman "anointing" Jesus with fragrant oil. But it is a particular and unique one, and has important elements in common with the other Gospel stories.

And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." My study bible notes, "This is a great encouragement to all who feel so much of their lives has been given over to sin. In the mercy of God, a sinful past is not a hopeless liability. Forgiveness comes to those who truly love Christ." It's really a little stunning, in a way, to read Jesus' words here, comparing the actions of the woman with the actions of His host. We're not quite used to a comparison of love. But, really, this is the point of the strongest understanding yet in this Gospel of the essence of Christ's mission to us. The capacity to forgive, to have mercy, is a divine one that is shared with us as a gift - even to the extent that we also share this capacity. And that mercy teaches us love in return. What is most powerful in this teaching and this story is the power of love, in which is included mercy and forgiveness, and which cements this depth of relationship between Jesus and the woman who anoints his feet with the fragrant oil, an act of deep and loving devotion. For us, this story reveals to us the essence of faith: a trust as deep as love can go, and growing. We are in a personal relationship with God who has come to us and dwelt among us as one of us, and this is what He wants as well. That includes the love He has to give, and the love we have to give back - and a growing understanding and depth to what that means, including forgiveness.

Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace." A note reads: The Scriptures speak of many things that contribute to our salvation: a believing spouse (1 Cor. 7:14-16), prayer (James 5:15) and baptism (1 Peter 3:21). Here Jesus names a basic one: personal faith."

It is quite an amazing thing to learn what love is. Here we have this tremendous contrast. The Pharisee is open to Jesus' teaching, and he has invited Him into his home. He calls Jesus, "Teacher." But one great thing we can take away from this meeting and this encounter with the sinful woman is the nature of these relationships. The Pharisee understands the precepts of God from scripture, he understands Jesus' importance as a Teacher, and I would assume that he understands devotion and obedience. But love is much more than devotion and obedience. Relationship of this sort of trust is on a deeper and more encompassing level within us, and asks of us more of ourselves as human beings. Whatever we can bring to the table in this relationship, however deeply our devotion goes, that is what it will ask of us, and take - and return. To forgive sins is a kind of mutual sharing that goes much deeper than obedience, learning and understanding. It goes deeper than comprehending moral choice, than understanding a code of ethics or conduct. Love is something else altogether, and relies on a mutual shared energy of persona, Person to person. And it is strengthened by the fact that it is reciprocal. As Jesus puts it: "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." Our love in turn is returned with unlimited forgiveness, and we in turn learn greater love from such relationship." There is an inexhaustible depth to this sort of love and trust and it goes far beyond good conduct. It asks all that we can give, and we receive even more. How far will you go in this depth of relationship? How deeply can you let it go within you, and trust? What will you learn for yourself, and how will you grow, in return?