Daily Office for 10/07/2010:  Gospel – Luke 7:36-50

This morning we join Jesus dining at the home of a Pharisee named Simon. In the midst of the invited guests, a “woman of the city” (a sinner) enters into the home of Simon and displays great affection toward Jesus – washing his feet with her tears, kissing his feet and anointing his feet with ointment. Simon and his invited guests watch the woman’s display of hospitality with a critical eye, knowing she is a sinner; and they question Jesus’ ability to perceive her true character due to his acceptance of her hospitality. Simon and his dinner guests soon learn that the difficulty in perceiving God’s will rests with them.

Jesus tells a short parable story to highlight the truth of forgiveness: the one who experiences forgiveness of many sins is also filled with much love. The first step in the woman’s journey toward Jesus is recognizing that she has sinned. This is also the first step in our journey – recognizing that many of our actions are centered in what is best for us; our priorities are developed with an internal focus rather than the outward love of others. We can discover great benefits from simply recognizing this condition and opening ourselves, in prayer, to how we might approach our lives differently. Even if we do not begin with actions, but only in reflection, we soon discover that honest reflection leads us to hear Christ’s Gospel with open ears. Hearing the truth of the Gospel and reflecting on our lives leads us to humility, gratitude, and love.