By
Beth DeCristofaro
…Set
an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. (1
Timothy 4:12)
Now
there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that (Jesus) 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…He
said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
(Luke 7:37-38, 48)
Piety
(O God,) Merciful One, there have been times
when I have made choices and decisions that were not in keeping with the
message and values of your son, Jesus.
Forgive me for the distance that I place between you and myself. Keep calling me home to you when I get lost
on the road to your love. Faithful God,
your forgiveness and love are powerful reminders of who you are. As I experience your goodness through the
sacraments, people, nature and events of my days, draw me ever nearer to your
heart. Deepen in me a desire to share
this love with others.[i]
Study
Over the years, I’ve met and worked with many
people who describe themselves as recovering from addiction even though they
have been sober for years and years. For
many who experienced that moment of “hitting the bottom,” perhaps losing their
family or waking up in a drunk tank, they have dedicated much of their recovering
efforts to making amends. Many are
active in 12-step programs serving as mentors, 24 hours on call each day for a
mentee who might be facing a crisis of decision. Some become addiction counselors, sharing
their hard-won wisdom, patience and perseverance to people struggling in
recovery.
Many live with a sense of gratitude for their
recovery and seek to serve others in order to share their victory, their hope. Some directly credit Jesus’ grace and
intervention for their survival. A dear
man with whom I worked told me that each morning, waking up sober, he would say
his prayers and hear Jesus invite him home.
Although my friend always answered “Not today, Jesus, not today, but
soon,” he lived with the joy that he was loved and his home was ready for him
with a loving, forgiving Savior.
Action
The sinful woman who wept and ministered to
Jesus was a model such as Paul described in today’s Epistle. Her loving act was misread by Simon. Do we continue to judge those who ask
forgiveness of us? Do we exact payback
or model “in speech, conduct, love, faith
and purity?”
[i] Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems, and
Reflections for Every Season, Joyce Rupp, Ave Maria Press, 2000, p. 135.
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