Pucker Up

A certain 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."
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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; hence, 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."

A “sinful woman” touched the rabbi Jesus and in front of the Pharisees.  Whether sinful of not, that was not allowed in Jesus’ time.   Yet, Jesus welcomed the touch of her tears, her hair, and her hands applying the ointment.   She obviously cared for him and respected him, perhaps even loved him.  Jesus said, “She has shown great love.”  While all around him would have sent her away and chastised, Jesus forgave her "many sins," whatever they may have been.

This is a lesson for all of us.   We should never judge.   In fact, we are all sinful in one way or another, so to target and judge those “bringing alabaster jars,” meaning those seeking forgiveness, is the height of hypocrisy.

When we forgive those who have trespassed against us, in a way, we kiss Jesus.  There’s no need to kiss his feet, but for many of us, we should bend down and pucker up.

Deacon David Pierce