Gospel for September 19, 2013, Thursday Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. Posted at 09/19/2013 4:54 AM | Updated as of 09/19/2013 4:56 AM 24th Week in Ordinary Time Januarius Psalter: Week 4 Ps 111:7–8, 9, 10 How great are the works of the Lord! 1st Reading: 1 Tim 4:12–16 Let no one reproach you on account of your youth. Be a model to the believers in the way you speak and act, in your love, your faith and purity of life. Devote yourself to reading, preaching and teaching, until I come. Do not neglect the spiritual gift conferred on you with prophetic words when the elders laid their hands upon you. Think about it and practice it so that your progress may be seen by all. Take heed of yourself and attend to your teaching. Be steadfast in doing this and you will save both yourself and your hearers. Gospel: Lk 7:36–50 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to share his meal, so he went to the Pharisee’s home and as usual reclined on the sofa to eat. And it happened that a woman of this town, who was known as a sinner, heard that he was in the Pharisee’s house. She brought a precious jar of perfume and stood behind him at his feet, weeping. She wet his feet with tears, she dried them with her hair and kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them. The Pharisee who had invited Jesus was watching and thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what sort of person is touching him; isn’t this woman a sinner?” Then Jesus spoke to the Pharisee and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.” He answered, “Speak, master.” And Jesus said, “Two people were in debt to the same creditor. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. As they were unable to pay him back, he graciously canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.” And Jesus said, “You are right.” And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? You gave me no water for my feet when I entered your house, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since she came in. You provided no oil for my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. This is why, I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, because of her great love. But the one who is forgiven little, has little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others sitting with him at the table began to wonder, “Now this man claims to forgive sins!” But Jesus again spoke to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Reflection: Why do I need to go to confession regularly? I do not think I commit any sins,” some people ask. Some others go to confession by sheer habit, but then have nothing much to confess. If someone asks them why they go to confession regularly, they respond saying that they feel bad if they don’t go. Contrast such people the many saints in the Church. The world looks at their lives and marvels at the height of holiness and goodness in them. However, many of them considered themselves deeply sinful and would burst out in tears whenever they meditated on how merciful Christ had been to them. Why this contrast? Jesus tells us why. These holy men and women, like the unnamed woman in today’s gospel, know they have been loved dearly and their many sins have been forgiven. Therefore, they love God with their whole being and are moved to tears when they think how blessed they have been to be so loved by God. It takes an experiential awareness of the huge difference between God’s holiness and our ordinariness to come to true repentance and gratitude.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 01:20:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015