Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (7: 36-50) in which a woman of poor reputation anoints the feet of Jesus with expensive ointment.

Fr Paul says today’s Gospel is a story of devotion and repentance, but a story also of the welcome of Jesus.

Jesus does not rebuke the sinner or interrogate her. He sets no pre-conditions, demands no promise of improvement. The details of her sin are unimportant to him; the heartfelt repentance is all that matters.

Of all the evangelists Luke especially stores up stories of the return of sinners: the Prodigal Son, the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector at Prayer, Zacchaeus, the Good Thief.

In contrast to all this stands the host of the dinner-party, Simon the Pharisee, not evil, but a stickler for observance of the Law, and judgemental of others. However, Jesus is delicate even to Simon, giving him a question he can answer, so that Jesus can affirm him before he points out his shortcomings.

Given this Gospel, Fr Paul says, we might ask ourselves… Who am I?
Am I the sinner who needs the forgiveness of Jesus?
Or am I someone who cannot see my own shortcomings?