Tears of Love and Sorrow

A 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.”

Luke 7:36-50

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Sowing in Tears

A flower trampled in darkness revives in the light of the sun. Rejected by the Pharisees, the woman shunned by society found her savior in Jesus, the Son of God who offered her hope, mercy, and restoration. His eyes penetrated beyond the material surface to the depths of her person begotten of God.

At the house of Simon the Pharisee, Jesus arrived as a guest but received none of the customary courtesies of his culture such as a kiss from the host, water to wash his feet, and olive oil to anoint his head. In the presence of other guests observing Jesus carefully, these omissions amounted to a flagrant insult and humiliation. Without a word, Jesus reclined at table like a guest of honor.

The woman, standing behind Jesus at his feet, noticed the egregious scorn of the host and copiously wept in sorrow. With a contrite heart, full of gratitude for the presence of the merciful Bridegroom of Israel, she poured forth a bath of tears to wash his feet. With the abandon of a bride, she wiped his feet with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with her ointment. Such a lavish display of affection from a disreputable woman ignited Simon’s condemnation.

Jesus’ parable of the two debtors provided a backdrop for the woman’s magnanimous love. Divine mercy aches to fill hearts to overflowing, but few empty themselves to receive the torrent. The crushed and brokenhearted, aware of their barrenness without God, rejoice with tears in the presence of the Bridegroom.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves. 

Psalm 126:4-6, Liturgy of the Hours