Homily on Luke 7:36-50

Good morning all!  Below is the practice homily I wrote last week that I'd like to share with you:

Homily 9.18.14

Wounded Hearts & the Fragrance of Forgiveness

Let us enter into today’s scene for a moment with our imaginations:   Jesus and his disciples enter town and recline at table in the home of Simon the Pharisee.  Jesus accepted his invitation, and yet is not shown the usual courtesies of hospitality that were of such great importance in those days.  These glaring omissions would have been evident to all the other guests and anyone who watched Him enter the home.

Houses of important members of society in those days often contained a semi-public courtyard area for entertaining guests.  Knowing Jesus’ growing popularity, it is quite probable to envision the courtyard being surrounded by His other followers and the curious, straining to get a glimpse of this wandering Rabbi from Galilee.  But what is this that we see?  In a quiet corner of the exterior side of the wall of the courtyard, half hidden from sight, a woman is curiously straining to listen to Jesus’ words that drift her way during the meal within.  Like so many times before, she is excluded from polite society and feels the weight of public scorn and humiliation.

Her life, once filled with the bright promises of childhood has left her feeling trapped into a lifestyle in which she knows now way out.  Yet, within her emptiness and wounded heart, the desire for true love still flickers.  Suddenly, she hears the words of Jesus, as if he is speaking directly to her.  He has come as a shepherd to save the lost and now she has finally found the Way and knows she can be forgiven.  Disregarding the fears that have held her captive for so long, she runs from the darkness into the courtyard where Jesus, the Light of the World, awaits. 

Her actions, filled with a sudden outpouring of love, humility, and gratitude, shower Jesus with the hospitality that he was denied earlier, and at the same time, scandalizes Simon and the others, who in their own fears, have let their hearts become hardened.  

Two additional details are worth mentioning here:  first, fragrant ointment was considered extremely precious in those days.  In pouring it on Jesus’ feet showed that she has given her most important possession, holding nothing back.  Secondly in the culture of the first century, it was considered taboo for a woman to let down her hair in public outside of the bedroom.  In doing so, she humbles herself even more and expresses love in a dramatic way.

Who could not help but be touched by this moving scene?  Not only does the Lord not stop her, he turns directly to Simon and proclaims that her sins have been forgiven, an action that only God Himself can perform.  Imagine the gasps and look of confusion on the faces of the other dinner guests!

This declaration must have hit Simon hard, for not only has he neglected hospitality to a guest at worst or a prophet at best, but He neglected to pay proper respect to God Himself!  Imagine the fear that might have surfaced in Simon’s heart.  His initial motives for inviting Jesus were less than sincere.  In his pride, he had allowed his heart to grow cold and fixated on external observances of the faith, with little attention to the deeper movements at work in his soul. And yet, Jesus does not condemn him, but shoes the importance of an attitude of gratitude that allows ourselves to be open to the working of the Holy Spirit.  The woman loved much for her many sins were forgiven.  So too, we should be thankful for the forgiveness of even the smallest of our sins. 

Jesus then turns to her and looking at her with love, having known the deepest movements of her heart, now tells her directly that her sins are forgiven.  Why does He repeat Himself again?  Many scripture scholars think that Jesus proclaimed this fact to all who were listening so that the woman would no longer be seen as a notorious sinner, but rather one who has been redeemed and given a new identity. 

She then leaves in peace at last, with a new found faith in the life-giving power of our Savior.

The written form of this story ends there, for the Bible doesn’t tell us what became of her or Simon. And yet, I wonder, did Simon become a believer?  Did he too, seek forgiveness in Jesus?  I would like to think so.  Perhaps his heart also came to be healed with the ointment of divine life in Christ. The fact that we know his name is significant, so perhaps he was later known in the early Christian community. 

Regardless of this possibility, this beautiful account reminds us all of God’s concern for us and our often wounded hearts.  By dying for our sins on the cross, we receive the forgiveness of Christ and receive a new identity as beloved sons and daughters of God!

God love you!