Coffee With God 15 September 2022 - As much love, so much forgiveness.

Reflection: Memoria of Our Lady of Sorrows. Luke 7:36-50 Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. It commemorates the seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary as they are recorded in the Gospels or through Tradition. The seven sorrows of Mary are: 1. The prophecy of Simeon: that Mary’s heart shall be pierced with a sword (Luke 2:35). 2. The flight into Egypt; scared of Herod’s attempts to kill baby Jesus(Mt 2:13). 3. Losing of Child at Jerusalem when he was 12 years old(Luke 2:48). 4. Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary; 5. Standing at the foot of the Cross (John 19:25). 6. The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross; and 7. The burial of Christ. This being a memorial, we choose the Gospel passage for Thursday of the 24th Week in Ordinary time for our reflection. Today’s Gospel is set in the background of a meal. A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him. The word ‘Pharisee’ means ‘separated one.’ As the name suggested, they regarded themselves as separated from ordinary people. They had the authority to interpret the scriptures. Jesus behaves rudely by telling Simon, the pharisee, that he is not a good host and not polite enough! Is it possible for a woman of a bad reputation to walk into the house of a pharisee without being stopped? Luke must have been teaching his community humility, love and forgiveness. The speciality of this meal was that someone who would normally have been stopped at the house door has now become the principal guest. The woman comes in with some precious gift to offer to her Master. Her tears were external signs of her real self. Every Eucharist is a meal with Jesus. Despite our unworthiness to dine with Jesus, no one will stop us at the door; rather, we are welcomed to the table of the Lord. At the table, we are all equal in dignity as children of God. The woman surrendered herself from her heart, and Jesus saw her heart. Jesus speaks to Simon, his host: “She has loved much.” As we gather around the table of the Lord, will Jesus say the same about each of us – he loved much, she loved much? We bring the gifts of our hearts at Mass. The gospel passage brings us so much comfort to our burdened hearts. It invites us to go to the table of the Lord with all the burden of sin and pour out our hearts’ miseries before him. Moreover, Jesus gives from his overflowing heart — forgiveness and healing. There is only one condition recommended for obtaining his forgiveness: Love. Whoever loves little, little is forgiven, greater the love – greater the forgiveness! As much love for our brothers and sisters is so much love for God! As the woman left the table better than she came in, we, too, leave the Mass as a new person, better than we came in.