When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:36-50

Let’s imagine we have been invited to lunch in a hot sandy country. It’s a place where when we arrive somewhere we would normally be given water to wash our feet and we would be given a special welcome. Now let’s imagine that we have arrived at our host’s house for lunch and we are shown straight to a seat. No welcome at all and no refreshing water for our hot dusty feet.

As a guest in a place where these customs were both important and a sign of respect this would probably make us feel rejected and neglected. Yet this is how Jesus was treated at Pharisee Simon’s house.

Now let’s imagine that there is someone who is well-known for being naughty and they are trying not to be noticed as they come over to you and start washing your feet for you and welcome you with great love. A bit like the woman in our reading did for Jesus.

The respectable host forgot the bare basics of hospitality but the naughty person gave, out of love, what was required and much more.

Simon sees what is going on and wonders why Jesus allowed it. Jesus points out that those that have less that needs forgiving show less love than those with more needing to be forgiven.

The woman’s love and faith was shown in her service to Jesus and shows that she had already been forgiven and changed by God’s Grace. Jesus reassured her that she was forgiven, that she was saved, and that she could now go in peace.

Sometimes we need reassurance that we are loved and forgiven and it can be hard to accept forgiveness for ourselves. It’s okay! God loves and forgives us already. Now we need to accept that great love and forgiveness, love God, love our neighbours and forgive ourselves and each other.