Thursday 24th week in ordinary time
"Lk 7:36-50"
A woman of the city, who was a sinner...brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment...Jesus said to the Pharisee, "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."
I love Your forgiveness, my Jesus. I love it because I am a sinner as well. The more sins You forgive me, the more I love You. I love it that there is no sin that You won't forgive. I love it that there is no human 'misery' that can exceed Your Divine Mercy. I love reminding all sinners that You are looking for them more than they are looking for You. I give You thanks for Your Mercy, for You are more willing to forgive us than we are willing to be forgiven; and I beg You for millions of souls to be reconciled with You this year.
There is a crucifix in St Eulalia's parish in Majorca given by Pope Innocent to King James I. It's called the 'Christ of the miracles'. The story is told that a man who had led a very sinful life decided to change and went to Confession. This crucifix was hanging in front of the confessional – a silent witness to the man's Confession. But when the priest heard his sins he was scandalized and thought that he couldn't grant the man absolution. The poor sinner left the church, devastated. But a young man found him in tears at the gates of the church, approached him and said, "Go back; try again!" The man hesitated but the young fellow insisted so he gave in and went back to the confessional. The priest was surprised to see him back and was about to send him away for a second time when suddenly the right hand of the Christ on that Crucifix came away from the nail. Showing the priest the scar from the nail, Jesus said to him, "Give him absolution. Look how much it has cost me!"
Mary, Refuge of sinners, help me to be always grateful for your Son's Mercy; help me to remind everyone that Jesus has already paid for their sins, and so they just have to come to the confessional to 'cash in' forgiveness.
