Brian’s Reflection: The Weekend, June 12, 2010

I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she
has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not
stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

Jesus, talking to the Pharisee who had invited Him to dinner, and
who judged the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them
with her tears. (Luke 7; Gospel for Pentecost III, RCL)


Do you not have to love Him!!?? Such wisdom. The Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner – we might wonder what his motives were – did none of the things that his religion required of him for Jesus as his guest. And he was obviously oblivious of it. This is the problem: religious people lose touch with Compassion, often DO lose touch with the heart of religious practice, and just become heartless, self-righteous prigs. Such people invite nothing but disgust or sadness.

The problem is: we have a whole lot of people in the World today who fall into this category. People of every religion. The heart of Compassion has been lost, and Religion has become a matter of being Right, of having Power, of feeling Justified. All of which are completely destructive to the Soul. And ultimately destructive to the Human Community.

Today Jesus speaks directly to us all. Do not lose the Heart! Every single one of us is the woman sinner who comes to anoint Jesus’ feet – including all those who consider themselves “righteous”.

Once we all claim and acknowledge our Sinner status, the better off the World will be.

Brian+