The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/091715.cfm) reminds me that knowing how sinful we are, and realizing that God forgave them all, should make us love Him more.
Technology is very powerful nowadays. We see hi tech television sets, that are not just big in size, but in display quality as well. High definition or HD movies, games and programs really capture the details – even to the sweat glands of athletes. It makes us see the details and not just the big picture. This is similar to what being close to God does.
The closer we become to God, the more we see our sins and imperfections, and the more we realize his grace and love for us.
In the gospel, the sinful woman never stopped serving Jesus. She served him the best way she could, even giving up her precious oil for Jesus. However, the Pharisee host was not as generous in serving Jesus. Jesus mentioned that it is because the woman knows how sinful she is, and her service is her form of repentance and asking forgiveness. She did not just ask Jesus to forgive her.in fact, she did not say a word. she just wept and served Jesus, not because she was forced to, but because she knew who Jesus was, and she was sorry for her sins. She may have been too ashamed to ask for forgiveness, knowing how great her sins were. But Jesus, being both God and man, knows what is in her heart. And forgave her.
May we be inspired by the woman. We know we are sinful. And we know God has already forgiven us. We are actually in a better situation than the woman, for we know we are already forgiven. As such, we should be inspired to love and serve God even more. When we realize how sinful we are, and how loving and forgiving God is, we just would be in awe and do our best to serve him, not just to ask for forgiveness, but as a sign of gratitude to him.
Those who serve God does not seem to stop. Those who get to know him more does not seem to stop knowing him more and learning about him. I believe this is because as we serve God, and as we get to know him more, we also get to know ourselves more. We realize how sinful we are, for we become more aware of how we should act and how we should live. as we discover how sinful we are, and that God is always ready to love and forgive, we would just be moved to stay close to him to thank him, to serve him, and to do our best to continue to improve.
Let us pray for awareness of our sinfulness, and may this move us to serve and love the God who is always forgiving and loving.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another day to experience your love and forgiveness. Thank you for being patient with me. thank you for not giving up on me. Lord, I pray that I would always be aware of my sins and imperfections, not to make me feel bad about myself, but to make me love you more. You always forgive and love me despite my shortcomings, and I just want to love and serve you to tell you how grateful I am for that, and how sorry I am for continuously hurting you. Lord, help me stay close to you and make me more and more like you. amen.
Blessed day!
In Christ,
-g-
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Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 446
Lectionary: 446
Reading 1 1 Tm 4:12-16
Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Responsorial Psalm PS 111:7-8, 9, 10
R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
Alleluia Mt 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 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.”
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.”
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