The reading began with Jesus accepting the invitation of a Pharisee to dine with him. As they were eating, a woman who knew that Jesus was there came to Him and anointed His feet with precious oil, wept, and dried His feet with her hair. The Pharisee who invited Jesus thought that if He truly was a prophet, He would have known who and what kind of woman it was that was touching Him. However, Jesus replied with a parable that reflected on the forgiveness of sins and love for God.
The story that Jesus shared in the Gospel of Matthew was about a creditor who had two debtors; one owned him five hundred denarii, and the other owned him fifty. When they could not pay their debts, the creditor canceled them both. Jesus asked the Pharisee which of the debtors would love the creditor more, and he replied that he who was forgiven more would love more. Jesus then turned to the woman and told her that her sins were forgiven, and she was loved very much.
The story is a perfect representation of the importance of forgiveness and love in our lives. It teaches us that no matter how much we have sinned, Jesus is always ready to forgive us and welcome us back into His loving arms. It reminds us that we should forgive those who have wronged us, no matter what, and that the act of forgiveness is an expression of love.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus was not concerned with the woman’s past but with her present faith. She recognized Jesus’ love for her, and that was all that mattered. Likewise, our love for God should not be based on our past mistakes but on our present relationship with Him. We should always strive to love as Jesus loved and forgive as He forgives.
As we continue to live in a world filled with uncertainties and negativity, we should focus on being a source of love and forgiveness. Today’s Holy Mass reading was an excellent reminder of this, and it should serve as a call to action to love and forgive those around us, no matter what the circumstances may be.
In conclusion, today’s Holy Mass reading was a powerful reflection on the love and forgiveness of Christ. It teaches us that no matter how much we have sinned, we can always turn to Jesus and be forgiven. We should strive to be a reflection of His love and forgiveness in our daily lives and to love others as Jesus loves us. Today’s reading was a wonderful reminder of our faith in God and His love for us.