Today’s readings offer us striking scenes that challenge us to reflect on what it really means to have faith in Jesus Christ. The readings deal with love and sin, adultery, manipulation, fundamentalism, intolerance and with forgiveness, trust and surrender.
Let’s begin with the Gospel. This story is only found in Luke. It is not the same story described in Matthew and Mark where the woman pours ointment over Jesus’ head and it is not the incident in John that takes place in Martha’s house. It is strange it is not recorded in the other gospels. Perhaps to some, especially Jewish readers, it was a little too “daring” because it is a sensual story and Jesus is deeply involved in its unfolding. The essential elements of the story are as follows. Pharisees taught in the synagogues and saw themselves as religious models. They were self-appointed guardians of the law and its observance. In our own day and in our own Church we find similar people who tend to assume the same mantle of judgmentalism and intolerance. Simon, the Pharisee, invites Jesus to eat at his house—what were Simon’s intentions? We don’t know, but Simon did not offer Jesus any of the customary hospitality when Jesus enters his house. A woman, a woman of the street, appears in the Pharisee’s house. Was this whole scenario planned to embarrass and compromise Jesus? Again, we don’t know
What we do know is that she immediately began crying and her abundant tears bathed Jesus’ feet. She began to dry his feet with her long hair. Again, a sign of the time that she was a “loose” woman. She kissed the feet of Jesus and pored ointment over them. What is clear is that the woman’s own intentions were sincere. Simon, whether he planned it or not, was shocked at the extraordinary scene in his house. Jesus, fully aware of what is going on in Simon’s mind, tells him the story about the two debtors and applies the parable to the present situation. In the process he indicates something that Simon had probably not thought of—that he, too, was a sinner, even though to a lessor degree. In addition,, Simon had been guilty of not extending even the most ordinary courtesies of hospitality to his guest, a serious matter in that part of the world. Then, comes the point of the story: “Her many sins are forgiven, hence she is showing so much love.” The one who loves less clearly has not yet been fully forgiven.
Imagine yourselves at Simon’s dinner table observing all of this. I suspect most of us would feel rather uncomfortable and embarrassed. After all, have you ever seen a public sinner expressing love in the only way she knows-physically and with a great deal of passionate feeling? You can imagine what a tabloid publication would make of this scene! And yet, Jesus’ focus is entirely on her intentions and not how it looks to the other people in the room. Jesus can see that the woman is expressing both sincere repentance and this results in her being filled with love.
Jesus tells the woman that her sins are now forgiven. This was not so much because of Jesus exercising his power. It was really her faith and clear repentance which won her forgiveness. The forgiveness is manifested in the outpouring of love that follows. Love and sin are incompatible, they cannot co-exist in the same person. She was loving Jesus so much at that moment that she could not be a sinner. At this point, her immoral past is totally irrelevant. Yet, in our society wrongdoers are stuck with labels often for the rest of their lives irrespective of how they have changed. God does not work that way. He deals with persons as they are here and now. What I did yesterday does not matter very much. All that matters is what I am doing now, how I am relating to God and those around me right now. We remember the man who died beside Jesus on the cross. He had led a terrible life and was now being executed for his crimes. Yet, he appeals to Jesus and is promised that he will go to God hand-in-hand with Jesus that very day. Unfair? Fortunately, God’s ideas of fairness are not ours.
Then, there is the sin of David in the First Reading. He committed adultery with his general’s wife. Essentially had the general killed. When his sins were pointed out to him by Nathan the prophet, David bitterly repented-”I have sinned against the Lord.” His repentance won the Lord’s forgiveness. Once again, we see how God always tries to rehabilitate and not punish. Punishment destroys. God’s desire is that we be all made whole and experience inner peace and harmony. Even those we incarcerate!
The Second Reading touches on the very heart of today’s Mass. “What makes a person right with God is not obedience to the Law but faith in Jesus Christ.” That was the difference between the Pharisee and the prostitute woman. Simon based his goodness on the mechanical observance of laws and regulations. He judged others by the same standards. The woman, however, in the presence of Jesus throws herself at his feet and surrenders entirely to him.
Faith is not, as some people seem to think, just an intellectual act. It is primarily an act of love and total trust. There are those who speak of “the faith” as a list of doctrines to be held; often their thinking is just as the Pharisees and they can be equally judgmental and intolerant. And significantly, they seldom speak of love, mercy and forgiveness.
One of the underlying themes of Francis’ pontificate is his admonition first to his brother cardinals and bishops, and now to each of us—don’t let the rules of the Church separate us from the love of God. As with the woman, each of us will likely find ourselves confronted with the choices—obedience to the Law or faith in Jesus Christ
Pope Francis is beginning to help us, as faithful Christians, to understand that it is not all about following the rules. In his recent apostolic exhortation on the family, The Joy of Love, Francis offers us insights that over time the Church has forgotten in our faith tradition. He is reminding the Church hierarchy that they are called to help form consciences, not to replace them. When discussing marriage and divorce, we do not live with the ideal but in a real world where life gets rather messy at times. But, Francis reminds us that Jesus is present even in that messiness and that the Church must be open to ministering to all people, regardless of their situation.
Unfortunately, for many of us, our understanding of faith in Jesus Christ developed as children (with rules) and has not grown with us into maturity. As a result, our childhood understanding of God no longer seems relevant to our adult lives. From my personal experience, I believe that what some see as a loss of faith has more to do with an inability to build a bridge between a child’s catechesis and an adult’s experience.
That bridge is our imagination—that window into the heart of God—an ability to see and experience the presence of God in all that is around us each and every day. One of God’s great gifts to us is our sense of wonder and beauty, love and longing. With our ability to see and experience the presence of God all around us in our lives, we have faith in Jesus Christ AND that makes us RIGHT with GOD.