St. Cornelius, pepe & martyr 

St. Cyprian, bishop & martyr

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

1 Timothy 4:12-16

 Let no one reproach you on account of your youth.

Be a model to the believers in the way you speak and act, in your love, your faith and purity of life.   Devote yourself to reading, preaching and teach­ing, until I come.

 Do not neglect the spiritual gift conferred on you with prophetic words when the elders laid their hands upon you.   Think about it and practice it so that your progress may be seen by all.   Take heed of yourself and attend to your teaching. Be stead­fast in doing this and you will save both yourself and your hearers.

 

Ps 111:7-8, 9, 10

How great are the works of Lord!

 

  ＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊     

 Luke 7:36-50

One of the Pharisees ask­ed Jesus to share his meal, so he went to the Pharisee’s home and as usual reclined on the sofa to eat.   And it happened that a woman of this town, who was known as a sinner, heard that he was in the Pharisee’s house.

She brought a precious jar of perfume and stood behind him at his feet, weeping. She wet his feet with tears, she dried them with her hair and kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.

The Pharisee who had invited Jesus was watching and thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what sort of person is touching him; isn’t this woman a sinner?”

 Then Jesus spoke to the Phari­see and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.” He answered, “Speak, master.” And Jesus said, “Two people were in debt to the same creditor. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty.  As they were unable to pay him back, he graciously canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.” And ­Jesus said, “You are right.” And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this wo­man?  You gave me no water for my feet when I entered your house, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

You didn’t welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since she came in.   You provided no oil for my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  This is why, I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, because of her great love. But the one who is forgiven little, has little love.”

 Then Jesus said to the wo­man, “Your sins are forgiven.”  The others sitting with him at the table began to wonder, “Now this man claims to forgive sins!”  But Jesus again spoke to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Who can say that Jesus hates all Pharisees? In this gospel,a Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to his house. They are seated, probably enjoying a good meal, when a woman of ill repute slips in and awaits her opportunity to minister to Jesus.

She did so by washing the Lord's feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, and anointing them with a very expensive perfume. But Simon the Pharisee, instead of reflecting on himself and whether he had given Jesus the proper welcome and hospitality as a guest of his house, evaluates Jesus and how He behaves in this situation.

He transfers the object of his scrutiny from himself to Jesus and the sinful woman. And how many times have we done this? Instead of examining ourselves, we examine others. We exempt ourselves from criticism and instead subject others to it.

The woman, oblivious of the social stigma, did what she could to ask forgiveness for her way of life. She spared nothing and gave her all. If breaking the vial of expensive perfume may seem a waste, it's perfume however filled the room with its sweet smell. May we fill the world with the sweet smell of our holy works.