Thursday September 17th: The reward of a penitent heart

“For this reason, her many sins have been forgiven her.”

Luke 7: 36-50

This scripture gives us a picture of intimacy between Jesus and an unnamed woman. As he reclines at table, she approaches him, weeps and washes his feet with her tears, dries his feet with her hair, and then anoints them with ointment which she brought with her in an alabaster jar.

Jesus recognizes her silent ministry to him with her tears and her ointment as a cry for mercy and forgiveness and he offers her what she needs.

Just as Jesus knew the heart of Simon, his host, was questioning his ability to know the sort of woman who was touching him, Jesus knows the hearts of all of us. He can see right through us, to the depths of our hearts, and is able to touch and heal and lift the burdens that afflict us.

So, as we approach Jesus, it is with complete openness, hearts humble and contrite, hearts desiring to love him and to love others as he loves us. After such an encounter we hear Jesus say to us, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.”