Thursday, Twenty Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

In many ways today’s gospel describes one of the most striking scenes in all of the gospels. A woman breaks into a meal uninvited at which Jesus is a guest. She weeps unrestrainedly with her tears falling on the feet of Jesus. She then proceeds to wipe her tears away from Jesus’ feet with her hair. She then covers his feet with kisses and anoints them with an alabaster jar of ointment she had brought with her. It was an extravagant outpouring by any standards. To the Pharisee who had invited Jesus to his house, the behaviour of this woman was unseemly, unbecoming, and scandalous, especially as she had a reputation as a sinner. Yet, Jesus understood what lay behind the woman’s extravagant and unconventional behaviour. It was loving gratitude for the gift of God’s merciful love earlier conveyed to her through Jesus. It was love in return for love. She had received the gift of God’s unconditional love from Jesus and, now, she was responding in kind. The Pharisee had not experienced God’s loving forgiveness in the way the woman had and, so, could not understand her gestures. The portrayal of the woman reminds us that we give to the Lord in response to being gifted by the Lord. The experience of receiving the Lord’s unconditional love is the wellspring of a life of loving service of the Lord. Prior to the Lord’s commandment to love one another is the invitation to receive the gift of the Lord’s love. Receiving from the Lord is the inspiration for our giving to him, our loving service of him in and through those who cross our path in life.