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What is the greatest, most significant thing that has been forgiven for you?
What is the greatest, most significant thing that has been forgiven for you?
I’m a little embarrassed to say when I was thinking about this question for myself, the first two things that came to mind had to do with money. Once I bumped a car driving during my seminary days. The person, who could have filed a claim, simply told me not worry about. I also thought of the several times I have been pulled over and the officer, who could have given me a ticket, let me go with just a warning to slow down.
Maybe some of you have similar experiences and stories. Hopefully all of us have been the beneficiaries of mercy and forgiveness. But as great as it is to be absolved of a potential traffic violation or a minor fender bender, these are debts, as painful as they can be, that we can repay on our own. The most meaningful moments of forgiveness in my life have come in areas I was powerless to resolve. Some of these have been with other people: families or friends, who I offended or took for granted. They could have chosen to withhold their mercy and make me suffer and yet they didn’t. The most profound experiences have come from God, who has been willing to forgive my sins, whenever I have been humble and courageous enough to ask. Without going into the gory details, I have and continue to need the mercy of God. I cannot repay him for the good he has done for me and I certainly cannot fix the hurt and wrong caused by my sins. Fortunately, the Lord doesn't put that on us!
The gospel today is all about the mercy of God, which is truly a mystery and an undeserved gift. On one hand you have the sinful woman who knows how broken and fallen she is. She believes in the power of Jesus to restore her to spiritual health and take away her sins. She is not proud, she doesn't worry what others might think, she doesn’t make excuses for why she should stay away or come back later or rationalize that her past really isn't that bad. Instead she boldly puts herself at the feet of the Lord and confidently begs for his mercy and forgiveness. As she receives the gift that only God can grant, the forgiveness that brings the deepest peace and joy we can experience this side of heaven, she can’t help but be full of love for Christ. The more a person is forgiven, the greater the love feel towards the one forgiving us.
Simon the Pharisee, on the other hand, is disgusted by the woman. He is repulsed by her sinful reputation, he thinks her acts of devotion to Christ are over the top, and he self-righteously thinks to himself, “if this Jesus-guy was so great, he would realize what a terrible person is at his feet and kick her out.” Too bad Jesus could read hearts and minds! Jesus knows what is in this man’s heart, just as he knew what faith was in the sinful woman and he calls him out. Simon doesn’t think he is a sinner; he doesn’t need God’s mercy because he believes he has reached holiness by himself. Even if he isn’t perfect, at least he is not as bad as those other people, like the woman asking the Lord for mercy. Because, in his mind, he doesn't need forgiveness, because in reality, he hasn’t asked God to forgive his sins, his love is little. He doesn’t realize his debt so there is no way to be grateful to the one who wants to take it away.
You and I, we are sinners. Anyone who thinks of themselves as otherwise is in danger of thinking like Simon the pharisee. Whatever our sins may be, however large or small, they are a debt we can never repay. Yet Jesus, first on the cross and now in the sacrament of confession, offers to wipe them away. As often as we come to him, he will do it, without exception. The more we come to him for mercy and forgiveness, the more we realize our debt and the incredible gift we have in him. In short, the more we acknowledge our sinfulness before God, the more we grow in love for him. It may seem counter-intuitive but it’s true. When I think of any exceptionally holy person I have ever met, every single one of them, without exception, openly acknowledged their sins and weakness. Not to call attention to themselves nor as a display of false humility. It was a sign of their love for God. They were not afraid of their past sins because it simply manifested how much God loved them, that he would forgive their offenses so completely and without cost. Our love for God is directly proportional to how often we receive his forgiveness and mercy.
The same is true in the opposite way. Ever notice how people who are focused on themselves and moving away from God, how they are never wrong, how it is always someone else’s fault?! If we don’t think that we are sinners, if we think we are ok because we are at least not as bad as those other people, if fail to ask for our spiritual debts to be forgiven, especially in confession, our love for God will be small. And if our Love for God is small, we will not have compassion for the faults and failings of other people. Those who do not acknowledge their need for mercy tend to be the harshest of critics.
We are blessed to find ourselves in the Year of Mercy, where the Church has opened up the floodgates of Christ’s forgiveness. Do not be afraid to acknowledge the sins of your past, whether they be large or small. If you have stayed away from confession for a while in the name of embarrassment, fear, or busyness, now is a very good time to encounter his love in this sacrament. If you feel like you don’t really need forgiveness or that it can wait, please re-evaluate based on what we just heard in the gospel. All of us are in debt because of our sins; none of us can repay it on our own. Ask for mercy today, tomorrow, and the next day. Acknowledge your sins and grow in love. That’s the key to peace, joy, and happiness, both in this life and in the life to come.
