Jesus Pardons the Sinful Woman
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)
On the 4th Sunday of Thoout, and the Holy Gospel for this week is from Luke 7:36-50. In this moving scene of repentance, we read about a sinful woman, anonymous yet courageous, who approaches Christ with deep humility. She washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and anointed His feet with fragrant oil. Meanwhile, a Pharisee named Simon watched with silent judgment, confident in his own righteousness. After sharing a parable with the Pharisee about two debtors, one owing much and one owing little, Jesus reveals that the one who is forgiven much loves much. Jesus then says to the woman “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (v. 50).
This Gospel gives an example of repentance. This woman, who we do not know, had committed many sins, and they weighed heavily on her heart. Yet instead of retreating in shame, she ran toward Christ, not with words, but with tears. As St. Ephraim the Syrian explains: “Tears brought the sinful woman forgiveness, even before she spoke a word, for her tears were her confession”.
Likewise, whenever one sins, we must not hide in guilt or pride like the Pharisee, but rise and return to Jesus Christ with humility, confession, and love. As St. John Chrysostom teaches, “The Pharisee thought himself righteous and therefore received nothing; the sinner thought herself unworthy and therefore received everything.”
On this matter, St. Cyril of Alexandria says, “But Christ arose for us, not to subject our state to the curses that are by the law, but to redeem those subject to sin by a mercy superior to the law.” In other words, Christ does not forgive us because we are worthy, but because His love is greater than our sins. St. Ambrose of Milan affirms this truth, saying, “The Lord does not consider what a person has been, but what they will be.”
Additionally, we read in one of the fractions that “For when You desired to save me, You did not send me an angel nor an archangel nor a cherub nor a prophet. Rather You alone descended from the Father’s bosom to the womb of the Virgin.” Jesus is our Merciful Redeemer, and He alone became man to save us and to redeem us, His creation. The Lord does not wait for perfection before accepting us, He receives every repentant heart that draws near to Him. As St. Augustine beautifully puts it, “There is no sinner without a future and no saint without a past. Love is the difference between the two.”
May we always continue to be faithful to Him and repentant so we may become one with Him, and let tears, prayers, and confessions be like her fragrant oil before the Lord.
Amen
Sources:
- ESV Bible
- Fraction to the Son (O You the Being…)
- St. Ephraim the Syrian, Hymns on Repentance
- St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Repentance
- St. Cyril of Alexandria’s Commentary on Luke Sermon 40 Link
- St. Ambrose of Milan, On Repentance
- St. Augustine, Sermon on Divine Mercy