Sin had often prevented me from coming to You Lord, especially through the sacrament of reconciliation. It blinded me to Your love, instead I thought only of the discomfort of people looking on and judging me. I was fearful to give You the truth of my heart, that I may be chided, turned away or rejected. Grave indeed were my sins! Yet a little gentle voice called out to me, “Greater is my mercy and love for you…”
Deep in my heart I knew You love me and I felt myself drawing closer to You. I knelt before You, sinful and sorrowful and You lifted me up on high. In Your loving embrace I was set free! My joyful heart shouted out to the World, “Glory and praise to Almighty God!” “Great is His mercy and His Love for us!”
Forgive me now my Jesus…. For all the times I invited You to my home, cleaned and prepared it with candles, incense and whatever I deemed necessary. Forgetting to truly open my heart to welcome You with a kiss in quiet prayer. To wash Your feet with the forgiveness of my heart for all who hurt or wronged me and my loved ones. To annoint Your feet with perfumed oil of my deeds and love for my neighbour. I am not worthy to have You come under my roof, and yet by Your Word You have healed my soul. Great is Your mercy and Your love!
Teach and show me how to love as You do Lord. And let me always share in and share that love with all I meet. In Your most precious name Jesus, I pray. Amen
GOSPEL
Luke 7:36–50
A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the, I pray 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.”
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