Luke 7:36-50

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

HOLY WEEK

Holy is the week...

Holy, consecrated, belonging to God...

We move from hosannas to horror 

     with the predictable ease 

          of those who know not what they do.

Our hosannas sung, 

     our palms waved, 

let us go with passion into this week.

It is a time to curse fig trees that do not yield fruit.

It is a time to cleanse the temples of any blasphemy.

It is a time to greet Jesus as the Lord's Anointed One,  

    to lavishly break our alabaster 

    and pour perfume out for him 

          without counting the cost.

It is a time for preparation...

The time to give thanks and break bread is upon us.

The time to give thanks and drink of the cup is imminent.

Eat, drink, remember:

On this night of nights, each one must ask, 

     as we dip our bread in the wine, 

          "Is it I?"

And on that darkest of days, each of us must stand 

    beneath the tree 

and watch the dying 

     if we are to be there 

when the stone is rolled away.

The only road to Easter morning 

     is through the unrelenting shadows of that Friday. 

Only then will the alleluias be sung;  

     only then will the dancing begin.

                                                 by Ann Weems, Kneeling in Jerusalem