Romans 1:16-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-11, Luke 7:36-50

Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed at all of this Good News; it is God’s power saving those who believe, first the Jews, and then the Greeks. 17 This Good News shows us the saving justice of God; a justice that saves exclusively by faith, as the Scripture says: The upright one shall live by faith.

Beloved, You are the Good News and You have the power to save. Your Name says it all for it means, 'One who saves.' Your power which manifests itself in all creation as well as in miracles both physical and spiritual testify to Your Presence. The Good News which is another Name for You, enables us to be all You have destined us to be - mirror images of Yourself. This is made possible through faith.

1 Corinthians 5:1-11

• 1 Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the Good News that I preached to you and which you received and on which you stand firm. 2 By that Gospel you are saved, provided that you hold to it as I preached it. Otherwise, you will have believed in vain.

3 In the first place, I have passed on to you what I myself received: that Christ died for our sins, as Scripture says; 4 that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures; 5 that he appeared to Ce­phas and then to the Twelve. 6 Afterwards he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters together; most of them are still alive, although some have already gone to rest. 7 Then he appeared to James and after that to all the apostles. 8 And last of all, he appeared to the most despicable of them, this is to me. 9 For I am the last of the apostles, and I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. 10 Nevertheless, by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been without fruit. Far from it, I have toiled more than all of them, although not I, rather the grace of God in me.

11 Now, whether it was I or they, this we preach and this you have believed.

Beloved, in these verses St. Paul describes who and what the Good News is. In my own small way as a cetechist, I too will be trained to hand on what I have so generously received. Grant that I may do it faithfully through the grace You freely impart to me.

Luke 7:36-50

• 36 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. 37 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 38 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.

39 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?”

40 Then Jesus spoke to the Phari­see and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.” He answered, “Speak, master.” And Jesus said, 41 “Two people were in debt to the same creditor. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. 42 As they were unable to pay him back, he graciously canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?”43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.” And ­Jesus said, “You are right.” 44 And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this wo­man? 45 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. 46 You provided no oil for my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 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.”48 Then Jesus said to the wo­man, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The others sitting with him at the table began to wonder, “Now this man claims to forgive sins!” 50 But Jesus again spoke to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

This wonderful incident narrated in the Gospel tells us much about You and Your relationship with us. This narrative opens with an invitation given to You by Simon the Pharisee. He asks You to share a meal with him and his friends in his home. The Gospel writer tells us that you reclined on the sofa to eat. It depicts a picture of relaxed ease which tells us that You are perfectly at home in any company.

Beloved, I will not speak about the sinner, for what she has done and her disposition while doing it are plain. But Simon the Pharisee does not know that You know his thoughts and he is busy with his character assasination of this town sinner who is filled with contrition. She recognises her sin and wants to be forgiven and reconciled with God. You not only read his thoughts but You bring them out into the open. In judging her, Simon has opened himself to judgement.

After pointing out the depths of her love by the lovely little illustration You give in the parable, You compare what the woman has done to what he Simon failed to do. He neglected the most basic and common courtesies that one shows to a guest whom he himself had invited. He showed You disrepect in every possible way.

How often my Beloved, we too are like the Pharisee - we cloak our iniquities in the guise of feigned goodness and generosity. I am sorry Lord, forgive me.