After the three solemnities of the Holy Trinity, the Body and Blood of Christ and the Sacred Heart, we continue in our journey through the liturgical year C with the Lucan story about the woman who showed great love for Jesus. The story is read after a proclamation about the repentance of David and the forgiveness he receives and another one about Paul's explanation of our justification through faith in Christ "who loved me and gave himself for me" so that "it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me."
Christian life is life lived in gratitude to God. The woman who came to Jesus that day was so filled with gratitude that she displayed her love of the Lord in a way that the Pharisees present considered utter shamelessness. Read the articles listed below and use the following questions as your guide for reflection.
- Workshop: She Loved Much Because Forgiven Much (Luke 7:36-50)
- Mag-aral Tayo: Ang Malaking Pag-ibig (Lukas 7:36-50)
1. From a woman's extravagant and lavish display of love, Jesus draws a lesson on the idea of "debt of gratitude". Jesus' question about the two men in the parable whose debts were cancelled was about their "utang na loob" a form of love expressed as an act of gratitude for grace received.
Reflect: We Filipinos value "utang na loob". It permeates all levels of our relationship, from father-son, friend-to-friend, alumnus-alma mater, to employee-company, etc. Do you see your relationship with God as permeated with this "debt of gratitude" (utang na loob)?
2. The sinful woman was already forgiven her sins. It was because of this that she sought Jesus and showed him how much she loved him. The great sense of gratitude she had made her lavish and extravagant in her love.
Reflect: During this past week, how have you shown your gratitude to the Lord for the things he has done for you? During the liturgy of the past weeks, we put before our minds the great deeds God has done for our behalf. How have you responded to His great love?
3. The woman didn't count the cost when she broke the jar of aromatic perfume on the feet of Jesus. She is like those who serve the Lord in His Body, the Church, especially in her members which are close to the ground, dirty, that is the poor, the wretched ones.
Reflect: It is easy to donate money for the beautification of the Church. How generous are you when your time and skills are required for a project that touches the very life of the community of faith? How "extravagant" can you get when you are asked to be a catechist, or a BEC cell leader, or liturgical minister?
