Gospel Reflection for The 18th day of September in the year of Our Lord, 2025
Luke 7:36-50
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat. 37 And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment; 38 And standing behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.
41 A certain creditor had two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most? 43 Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly. 44 And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet. 47 Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. 48 And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.
Once again, we see that the religious of Jesus' time lacked compassion. They lived by the Law and felt justified by the Law. Anyone who violated the Law was subject to punishment under the Law, and that was that. This was one reason why the message of our Lord was so much harder for the religious Jews to accept than for the common people and gentiles. Jesus told them plainly that they misunderstood the entire meaning of the Law. He desired mercy, not sacrifice. Their self-righteousness would not save them. He outraged them by saying that the repentant publican who admitted his guilt and asked for God's mercy would be saved, but that the Pharisee in the temple would not.
Repentance begins with sorrow for sin. Mary Magdalene approaches our Lord with perfect contrition. We do not know the circumstances of her life, but we know that she became a Christian. As we have discussed several times already, her love for our Lord seems to have been deeper even than that of the Apostles because she could not bear to leave his grave. She seems to have loved Him more than anyone save His Blessed Mother. And with the Blessed Virgin Mary, she is one of the first and most honest saints.
It seems we are discussing Saint Mary Magdalene a lot this year, and that is a very good thing. Only Jesus and His mother lived lives in which they committed no sin and bore no stain of original sin. None of us can be so perfect, because even if we were perfectly scrupulous, we were born with original sin. In fact, the best we can do is to be like the Pharisee. I am sure he was a very good man who made every effort not to sin. But, his righteous life was not enough for his salvation. In the prostitute, the publicly known and condemned sinner, we find a model for our own lives.
Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us!
Judson Carroll is the author of several books, including his newest, A Daily Catholic Devotional, Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings July-December, 2025 It is Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F5BHFZ7X
and
Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith. It is also Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK
His podcast is The Uncensored Catholic https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-uncensored-catholic
Metanoia
Lord, have mercy....