In today's gospel, Luke recounts a beautiful story of Jesus meeting
a woman known by all to be a sinner. The background to this story
is interesting because our Lord had just excoriated the Parisees for their
hypocrisy. The only people Jesus chastised were the religious leaders.
Immediately following this denunciation, Simon, one of the Pharisees, invited
Him for dinner. As they were eating a woman appears at Our Lord's
feet. Why did she even come to Our Lord? She must have heard
of Him and perhaps He showed Himself as a kind and understanding man.
She stood at His feet weeping and then bathed and annointed Our Lord's
feet. Simon is thinking, doesn't this great prophet know who is touching
Him? Jesus read his heart and told the brief story of two people
in debt to the same man and since neither would repay the debt he cancelled
the debts of both. Jesus asked Simon, "Who would love more?"
Simon replied, " the one that was forgiven more." Jesus took this
response to show how all her sins had been forgiven hence she has shown
such great love. Then Jesus said, "Where little has been forgiven,
little love is shown." Simon had little to be forgiven but he would
never love as this woman. It seems her very sinfulness carved out
and etched out in her a greater capacity to love. She was forgiven
much and now she would love much. Jesus continues to deal with us
the same way. When we honestly bring our weaknesses and sins to the
Lord, receive His ever-present forgiveness, we seem to become even greater
lovers.
Perhaps that is why one spiritual writer said God is closer to sinners
than to saints. This is how he explained it. God in heaven
holds each person by a string. When we sin, we cut the string.
Then God ties it up again, making a knot and thus bringing us a little
closer to Him. Again and again, our sins cut the string and with
each further knot God keeps drawing us closer and closer.
So there is hope for us sinners. Nothing can separate
us from God and God does bring good out of evil. For this we say,
thank you God.