FIRST READING
2 Samuel 12:7–10, 13
Nathan said to David:
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more. Why have you spurned the LORD and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’” Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 32:1–2, 5, 7, 11 (see 5c)
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
SECOND READING
Galatians 2:16, 19–21
Brothers and sisters:
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
ALLELUIA
1 John 4:10b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Longer Form Luke 7:36—8:3
A 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 because 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.”
Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
or:
Shorter Form Luke 7:36–50
A 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 day’s 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 because 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.”
Meditation: What fuels extravagant love? Unbounding gratitude for sure! No one who met Jesus could do so with indifference. They were either attracted to him or repeled by him. Why did a rabbi invite Jesus to a nice dinner and then treat him discourteously by neglecting to give him the customary signs of respect and honor? Simon was very likely a collector of celebrities. He patronized Jesus because of his popularity with the crowds. Why did he criticize Jesus' compassionate treatment of a woman of ill repute – most likely a prostitute? The Pharisees shunned the company of public sinners and in so doing they neglected to give them the help they needed to find healing and wholeness.Why did a woman with a bad reputation approach Jesus and anoint him at the risk of ridicule and abuse by others? The woman's action was motivated by one thing, and one thing only, namely, her love for Jesus and her gratitude for forgiveness. She did something, however, a Jewish woman would never do in public. She loosed her hair and anointed Jesus with her tears. It was customary for a woman on her wedding day to bound her hair. For a married woman to loosen her hair in public was a sign of grave immodesty. This woman was oblivious to all around her, except for Jesus. She also did something which only love can do. She took the most precious thing she had and spent it all on Jesus. Her love was not calculated but extravagant. In a spirit of humility and heart-felt repentance, she lavishly served the one who showed her the mercy and kindness of God. Jesus, in his customary fashion, never lost the opportunity to draw a lesson from such an incident.
Why did Jesus put the parable of the two debtors before his learned host, a rabbi and teacher of the people? This parable is similar to the parable of the unforgiving official (see Matthew 18:23-35) in which the man who was forgiven much showed himself merciless and unforgiving. Jesus makes clear that great love springs from a heart forgiven and cleansed. "Love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8), "for love is of God" (1 John 4:7). The woman's lavish expression of love was proof that she had found favor with God. The stark contrast of attitudes between Simon and the woman of ill-repute, demonstrate how we can either accept or reject God's mercy. Simon, who regarded himself as an upright Pharisee, felt no need for love or mercy. His self-sufficiency kept him from acknowledging his need for God's grace. Are you grateful for God's mercy and grace?
Jesus traveled widely during his three years of public ministry. Luke tells us that a band of women accompanied Jesus and the twelve apostles (Luke 8:1-3). This was a diverse group of women. Some came from rich and prominent families, some had lived loose lives as adulterers and prostitutes, and others had been tormented with mental and spiritual afflictions. We know that Mary Magdalene had lived a very troubled life before Jesus freed her from seven demons. He healed her tormented mind and troubled conscience, and filled her with the joy of knowing God's love and forgiveness. She was privileged to be the first to meet Jesus as the risen Lord after he had died on the cross and his body laid in a tomb for three days. Another devoted follower who served and traveled with Jesus and the apostles was named Joanna. She was the wife of King Herod's chief financial officer and a wealthy lady of the court. It's unlikely that these two women would have ever met under other circumstances. What brought them together and united them in a bond of friendship, service, and loyalty to Jesus? Certainly Jesus and his message of the kingdom of God had transformed them. Unlike the twelve apostles, who took great pride in being the chosen twelve, these women did not seek position or demand any special privileges. Jesus had touched them so deeply that they were grateful to do anything for him, even menial humble service. They brought their gifts and resources to Jesus to use as he saw fit.
Are you more like the status-conscious apostles who were concerned with promoting their own position, or like the women who were content to serve Jesus humbly and generously with their own personal resources (Luke 8:1-3)? Our fallen human nature is self-centered and selfish. It seeks to receive rather than to give, to be first rather than last, and to be served rather than to serve. Only the Lord Jesus can set us free from our unruly desires and self-centered ambitions. The Lord Jesus sets us free to love others whole-heartedly as he loves and to serve with a generous and grateful spirit. Through the gift of his Holy Spirit he gives us a servant's heart that seeks to put the interests and concerns of others ahead of our own personal interests. Jesus is our model who "came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom" for us (Matthew 20:28). The gospel honors these women who imitated Jesus in his selfless sacrificial love and humble service of others. Do you know the joy of serving the Lord Jesus in company with others who love and serve him with a willing spirit?
"Lord Jesus, fill my heart with love and gratitude for the mercy you have shown to me. Give me freedom and joy in loving and serving others with a generous spirit."
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