Unusual power of Love

The situations which the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present to us today are indicators that we may find ourselves in very unusual circumstances as a consequence of our desire to follow Jesus. Friar Jude Winkler notes that the author of the First Letter to Timothy is encouraging leader of a Christian community to live out the gift of the Spirit which has anointed him as Bishop, even though the conventional wisdom usually does not envision a young man in this role. The psalmist praises the works of God which, at times, do not appear clear and understandable, but which call for our trust and respect so that the Wisdom in these events can be eventually revealed. Malcolm Maclean, of the Greyfriars Stratherrick Free Church of Scotland, describes how the desire to be in Jesus company is shown in Scripture to result in the interaction of people from very different backgrounds who find themselves involved in experiences of relationship with Jesus and one another, together. The sinner, Simon the Pharisee, who neglects to receive Jesus with the accustomed kiss and anointing with oil, is confronted with the company of the woman who has a reputation of sin and who, as Friar Jude notes, must have been strongly driven by the Love as she experienced in forgiveness the power to force herself into the room where ridicule and humiliation were likely aimed at her. In the rabbinic teaching style, Jesus identifies the great and little sins which have been brought to the attention of the assembly in Simon’s house. He exercises the power of God to forgive sin, scandalizing the Pharisees, and praises the great Love radiated from the forgiven woman who stands as the Light and Life in a circumstance to which she was led by following Jesus.