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Gospel Reading for September 17, 2026 – Luke 7: 36-50
LOVE and COMPASSION
A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the 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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The Pharisees seemed to have a lot of time keeping track of what people were doing and putting labels on them. They were particularly fond of labeling people as “sinners.”
The word Pharisee comes from the Hebrew word prushim, which means “separated ones.” They thought of themselves as HOLY simply because they observed practices that kept them from ritual impurity. This explains why Jesus was often angry with them, especially because of their hypocrisy. Their judgmental attitude discouraged the so-called “sinners” from having a change of heart. More often than not, people do not change because of the labels placed on them. It is LOVE and COMPASSION that can change hearts. That is the way of Jesus.
The woman in the Gospel showed genuine repentance, and it touched Jesus’ heart and led Him to forgive her.
As for us, it is only when we recognize and admit that we too are sinners, and sincerely repent of our sins, that we receive God’s forgiveness.
Lord Jesus, may we always be humble enough to admit that we too sin against God and are also in need of Your forgiveness. Amen
