15
Sep
Sep
Reflection: Luke 7:36-50
Today’s Gospel is set in the background of a meal. Every meal that Jesus shared says something to us about Christian community. His ‘last supper’ for example was one of many. The word ‘Pharisee’ means ‘separated one.’ As the name suggested, they were separated with the authority to teach in the meeting places. Jesus is in the house of a pharisee by name Simon. It is a story found only in Luke. Could Jesus be so rude to tell Simon the pharisee who invited him for the meal that he was not a good host and that he was not polite enough? Could a woman of bad reputation have easily walked into the house of a pharisee without being stopped on the way? Such questions will help us to look beyond what is given in the passage of the gospel. Luke must have been giving his community a lesson on humility, love and forgiveness. Be humble in service to obtain forgiveness. The speciality of this meal was that, here is someone who would normally have been stopped at the door of the house became the principal guest. The woman comes to the meal with some precious gift to offer to her Master. It was a meal of giving something precious of oneself. Her tears were external signs of her real self. Every Eucharist is a meal with Jesus. In spite of our unworthiness to dine with Jesus, no one will stop us at the door, rather we are welcomed to the table of the Lord. At the table, we are all equal in dignity as children of God. The woman gave of herself, from her heart and Jesus saw her heart. So he turns to Simon, his host and says, “She has loved much.” As we gather around the table of the Lord, will Jesus say the same about each of us – he loved much, she loved much? We bring the gifts of our hearts at Mass. The Gosepl passage brings us so much comfort to our burdened hearts. It invites us to go to the table of the Lord with all the burden of sin and pour out our hearts’ miseries before him. And Jesus gives from his overflowing heart — forgiveness and healing. There is only one condition recommended for obtaining his forgiveness: Love. Whoever loves little, little is forgiven, greater the love – greater the forgiveness! As much love for our brothers and sisters is so much love for God! As the woman left the table better than she came in, and so we too leave the Mass better than we came in.