Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 19, 2024
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.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
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.”
“You audition for me every day.” These words from my high school chorus teacher have remained with me for almost 40 years, and I share them frequently with the students I teach. Today’s gospel offers us an example of how we audition for God every day through our actions toward others.
Although few details are given about Simon’s preparations for Jesus’ visit, we can imagine that he rolled out the red carpet in terms of decorations, menu, and guest list, including the “others” who were amazed that Jesus forgave the woman’s sins.
What we do know from the story is how the two characters, Simon the Pharisee and the “sinful” woman, treated Jesus. Simon is guilty of the sins of omission: he did not give Jesus water for his feet, kiss him, nor anoint him with oil. In contrast, over the course of five brief lines, the woman humbly bathed his feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, then kissed and anointed them with the precious oil that she brought. Consequently, Jesus forgives her sins and tells her to “go in peace.”
I know I have stumbled often in my daily audition to live as God desires. I recall times when I was too concerned with appearing polished, professional, and wise in my interactions with friends, students, or colleagues. This passage reminds us that what God desires most are selfless actions done with a humble spirit. Taking extra time to listen to a friend in need or helping a student or stranger if they are struggling with too much to carry are just two simple ways that we can do God’s work. And if we do, like the woman in today’s story, we can all earn the parts we seek in God’s heavenly chorus.
Prayer
Accept the desire of our hearts, O Lord, our God, to lavish care and concern on the weary and suffering members of your body this day. May we anoint them with a compassion that wells up from hearts made joyful by the release you have gained for us from debts and trespasses. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Januarius was a bishop who gave his life with his friends during a Christian persecution in the Roman empire. He is a best known for a recurring miracle that involves his relics.
Two deacons and a layman were imprisoned after confessing their Christian faith. Januarius was good friends with one of the deacons, and he visited his friend in prison. Guards noticed, and he was arrested, along with another deacon and a layperson.
Januarius and his companions were all beaten, and made to wear iron chains and march in front of the governor’s chariot. They were thrown into jail with the friends Januarius had originally visited.
The group of Christians were condemned to die by being thrown into an arena with wild beasts, but when this was carried out, the beasts could not be enticed to attack. They were sentenced to beheading instead.
This account of Januarius and his companions comes down to us from tradition, and it is difficult to know if it can be trusted. Best guesses indicate he died sometime around 305; the saint seems to have been honored from the fifth century and after.
There is a unique veneration of Januarius’ relics in Naples, where he was bishop. A vial of the saint’s dried blood stands in a reliquary in a church dedicated to him. Several times a year, on dates that correspond to events in the saint’s life and death, people observe the blood in that vial to liquefy, sometimes coming to froth and increase in volume. It is a miracle that has been examined carefully and no explanation has been found. In 2015, the blood liquified when Pope Francis made a visit, which was rare because it occurred outside of one of these special feast days.
Relics of St. Januarius rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and his image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.
St. Januarius, you are the martyr with miraculous relics who died for your friends and your faith, pray for us!