Calling all sinners: God forgives us all

	Word to Life  Jeff Hensley

Several times across the years I have had intense personal conversations with people who have desperately needed the message in today's Gospel passage.

Like the story of the woman caught in adultery whom Jesus forgives, the story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears carries the message that confession of sins, repentance from them, and turning to God through Jesus is all anyone needs to go forward, forgiven in life.

The woman who washes Jesus' feet with her tears and anoints them with perfume shows Jesus through the abundance of her love her intent to live a reformed life.

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday, June 17, 2007) 2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13 Psalm 32: 1-2, 5, 7, 11 Galatians 2:16, 19-21 Luke 7:36 to 8:3

And Jesus responds with forgiveness. "Your sins are forgiven," he tells her, to the shock of the other guests.

He then tells the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Sometimes those who believe they can't be forgiven are plagued with guilt about sexual sin. Sometimes they struggle with shame about acts of violence they've committed in wartime. Sometimes, when I've tried to tell someone about God's willingness to forgive, the person doesn't even hint at what wrongdoing keeps him or her from God's love. The one thing each has had in common is the belief that whatever it is, God cannot, and will not, forgive them.

But God is in the business of forgiving and starting over with people and with societies. Jesus says it as clearly as the message can be stated when he says he did not come to call the self-righteous but sinners. The implication is that we are all in the second group, whether we are in the first one or not!

I find it fascinating that our society's commonly held steps to repairing wrongdoing reflect what we see in Scripture. Over and over I hear that three things are required in setting things right with people when we have made mistakes, whether with customers in the workplace or with loved ones at home.

	Reflection questions • Are there people in your life to whom you need to admit wrongdoing and seek their forgiveness? • Have you considered confession and absolution for wiping the slate clean and starting fresh?

People want to hear you admit that you've done something wrong; they want to hear that you're sorry for your error; and they want to hear what you intend to do to assure that it doesn't happen again.

Doesn't that sound biblical to you?

This column is offered in cooperation with the North Texas Catholic of Fort Worth, Texas.