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Reflection on the story of the woman who anoints Jesus’ feet with her tears
and perfume Picture the scene: Somewhere in the Middle East, close to Jerusalem, perhaps a little town called Nain. We come across a house that is typical of the homes of the well to do people in the region. This house is built around a courtyard which forms a hollow square. In the courtyard there is a fountain and a cool garden where the household is partaking of a meal. The weather is warm and dry and a cool breeze blows through the doors of the house all of which are wide open so as to provide easy access and to facilitate what little breeze there is to cool the house down. Reclining on couches in the courtyard are invited guests and among them is a visiting rabbi. His name is Jesus. He has a kind and gentle face which holds a quizzical expression. He is not entirely sure why he has been invited today by this local dignitary, Simon the Pharisee. Is it because Simon wants to trick him into making a mistake that will get him in trouble with the religious authorities? Is it because Simon wants to be impress the locals? Perhaps it is because Simon is genuinely interested in what Jesus has to say about the scriptures and about God? What perplexes Jesus is that Simon has treated him with a mixture of hospitality and rudeness. Simon has broken the all important rules of desert hospitality. He did not welcome Jesus into his home with the traditional kiss of peace, Shalom. He hasn’t offered Jesus an opportunity to rinse his dusty feet, he hasn’t anointed his head with the customary oil of hospitality. He seems focused only on his own interests, oblivious to the needs of his specially invited guest. Poor show Simon! A woman enters the room. IT is customary for people to visit a home of even a stranger, when a rabbi is in residence, and so she enters. She is wearing an alabaster jar of perfume around her neck. She is quite emotional and weeps as she stands behind the rabbi. Her tears flow uncontrollably and fall upon the feet of the rabbi creating rivulets in the dust. She unties her hair, oops flouting a social convention and uses her beautiful tresses to dry the feet of the rabbi for she can see no cloth or towel to do so. Shock horror and judgement are written on the faces of the host and all those who observe her and her emotional display which is contrary to social etiquette. All except of course the rabbi, who looks at her with tenderness and compassion. Most of us I think remember the feeling of being where we shouldn’t be or being caught in a place where we ought not to be. This woman had lived a sinful life. We have no idea what the nature of her sin was. It could have been promiscuity, or adultery, or unethical behaviour, or any of the sins common discovered in our human nature. She must have had an epiphanal moment of some sort perhaps after hearing Jesus speak somewhere else, or perhaps someone told her of some of the things Jesus was saying. Whichever, was regretful and keen to claw her way back , out of shame and darkness, back into the light. So, she came to Jesus conscious of her sin. She brought with her a jar of precious perfume, perhaps the most valuable thing she owned. Was this intentional or simply part of her every day wear. Many women wore their expensive perfume around their necks in this way. Something about Jesus, his innate goodness, his obvious compassionate acceptance of others, the profundity of his teaching moves her deeply and causes her to weep and kiss his feet tenderly. Something has shifted deep within her. She is experiencing a life defining, life changing moment and seems quite lost in the moment of her encounter. In the face of Simon’s judgement Jesus speaks up for the woman and for the virtue most dear to his heart which is the virtue of compassion. He reprimands Simon’s lack of loving and caring hospitality and contrasts it with the loving action of this woman. “I tell you her sins – her many sins – are forgiven for she loved much.” Jesus then says to her “Your sins are forgiven……..Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Faith in what? That God has saved her; that God loves her; that love will make a way back for her ; that God will forgive her even though she cannot forgive herself. “Receive this forgiveness and be at peace.” Jesus actions teach what it means to be slow to judge and quick to forgive and the healing effect this way of being has on people. He challenges Simon the Pharisee to consider the dangers of being judgemental and arrogant about others. The reading illuminates the human condition and our capacity for both good and evil right and wrong. As Paul writes “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” “Simon it might well be easy for you to see the sins of this woman but beware of judging her. It is much harder to identify and own the sins in our own lives and contrary to our much loved fantasies, we have and do and will sin, for we are all human.” Jesus emphatically makes point in this story that, God’s way is to offer love and blessings to all, in all circumstances. What does it mean for us today that God loves us and forgives us and blesses us and encourages us to turn from darkness into light from that which is life diminishing to that which is life enhancing and that God’s very love will give us the strength to do just that. Take a moment now. Be still before your forgiving gracious loving and compassionate God. Gracious God Open our hearts to the voice that calls us to confess. Open our minds to the call to live your way. Open our souls to your realm of love within us around us and everywhere. Let’s sit with the story and let it dialogue with our own lives for a few moments. She came to Jesus – What has made you come to Jesus this morning? She came with an alabaster jar of perfume – she was carrying something very precious to her – you have an alabaster jar around your neck. What is in your jar that is of value to you that you can lay and Jesus feet today? The woman lived a sinful life – Is there sin in your life? She was weeping, her tears wet his feet and she wiped them with her hair and kissed them and poured her oil upon them. The woman wept tears of shame, remorse, regret and contrition . What tears might you weep today as you stand at Jesus’ feet? Your faith has saved you – The woman’s sins are forgiven and so are yours. Think of one sin that that has burdened you. How do you feel knowing that god has forgiven that sin? Your faith has saved you.- Believing in Jesus has saved you also. Saved you from what? Go in peace- feel the peace. Find your own metaphor to describe the peace you experience. |
