Caught asking the wrong question

What kind of woman was she?

She had no place at the table.  Clearly she disregards the potential public embarrassment for herself and cares nothing for the ruffled feathers of the men in attendance.

 

She is singular in purpose; she never speaks, goes directly to Jesus and does what she has come to do.  She pours out herself; her tears; her anointing hands; even her money; she wept, bathed, dried, kissed, anointed. Something, sometime moved her.  It seems obvious.  Why would she have come and acted in such a way had she not encountered Jesus before?  She does all this for Jesus, not for herself; there is no indication of a transaction here, no quid pro quo. She takes no honor onto herself; none is offered; none is given.

 Of those in the room, we are certain that this woman has clarity of purpose and goal. She may also have a reputation; we assume that calling her a sinner means she is functioning outside the sexual boundaries of her day….but how would they know this?  Just by looking at her?  Could the men have been customers?  At the same time, don’t jump to sexual conclusions; there may also have been any other number of ritual and legal reasons to call her a sinner.

But whoever she is, she is clear about who Jesus is; the one who forgives; the one who has accepted her; who allows her inside – all the way to the table.

On the other hand we have The Pharisee who is male, apparently ‘not a sinner’, the host of the dinner, wealthy enough to invite Jesus to his table.  What does The Pharisee do?  Well, he invited; watched; and thought to himself:  ‘Well, who exactly invited her?’  and ‘Why doesn’t he say something?’

She snuck in; acted; poured out her feelings openly leaving The Pharisee to look a little cheap, a little gauche, perhaps a little snarky?

What exactly is the point of telling this story with all its drama?  Are we to feel guilty because we didn’t buy the ointment and you know, wash Jesus’ feet?  Are we to feel guilty because we like the Pharisee we try to act correctly according to social customs?  Which debtor are we, exactly, in the little parable?  Is it better to be the one for whom a small debt was forgiven? 

This is exactly where we get hung up today.  We are so busy critiquing the behavior of others, checking against some list of merits and acceptability that we miss the core action.  This is a story about forgiveness – and getting to know the one who forgives.

Who has the authority to forgive us: to give us a cosmic ‘do-over’ – to put the past behind us and help us live into the future in harmony with God’s purposes in the world?  Who?  Jesus; and this is no small thing this forgiveness that Jesus offers.

The Jesus' brand of forgiveness is life changing, emotional; often leads people to disregard social custom and everyone else to serve the one who forgives.  Being in the presence of that kind of authority, that kind of power is a little overwhelming, might take a while to wrap your head around it all.  Might lead you to pour yourself out for the other.

Notice:  in spite of how we react to these two characters, Jesus rejects neither of them.  First, he speaks out loud what the Pharisee has hidden in his heart.  Jesus needs to bring it forward into the light or it will settle in and fester there in his heart. This Pharisee sees himself as the one with a small debt to the master; nothing really to be concerned about. 

Jesus, however, offers the Pharisee forgiveness.  The same forgiveness given to the woman.  Apparently both of them could benefit from this forgiveness, and the relationship it would create with Jesus: the one who forgives and makes possible cosmic forgiveness; new beginnings; being born again.  Got it?

Yes?  then how will you live?    Where will these two go with this gift?  Who will they be?

Having already publicly proclaimed her devotion to Jesus, the woman seems a good bet for continuing her life devoted to Jesus. But, will it prove to be a flash in the pan?  No more than an emotional experience that will fade and the wondrous gift of a new beginning will fade as well?

And the Pharisee?  Could this story close with the sound of bells going off announcing he truly does get it, not just the value of the forgiveness being offered,  but the reality of who it is that sits before him and offers it to him? 

We talk about forgiveness all the time here in church.

We listen to the words of absolution granting us forgiveness.

We hear stories about Jesus forgiving others.

We are encouraged to make forgiveness the core value and action of our lives as people of faith.

But how has it changed us?  Where have our lives gone after receiving this awe inspiring gift?

Because either forgiveness changes you or you haven’t really understood what was at stake in the first place. Either it gives you a new beginning to live within that forgiveness; free to go where you are not invited; free to thank others; free to serve others; free to make a fool of yourself for Jesus, or you have no idea just how much you need this forgiveness that Jesus is offering.

And if you don’t understand forgiveness, you don’t understand Jesus or his mission in the world – or yours for that matter. 

Not certain you have been forgiven?  Need proof?  Look to your baptismal certificate. Your baptismal certificate is the official document that you have been forgiven. 

 

Either you believe that and live into it everyday or you quibble and wander around lost.  

So let me say once again,  Go, you are forgiven.  It’s a cosmic do-over.  A new beginning. You have been born again. 

What life will you live now?