Thursday, October 9, 2014

We Owe a Great Debt

On this Thursday, the appointed Gospel reading for the Church’s Daily Prayer comes from Luke where we read about a woman, sin and forgiveness:
 
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’ Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? 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. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’  (Lk. 7:36-50).
 
Just like the woman in today’s reading, those of us who have sinned greatly can appreciate the depth and value of God’s forgiveness and the lengths God goes to show us his love.  Although the Pharisees understand the intellectual notion of forgiveness as is demonstrated by their response to Jesus’ parable able cancelling the great debt, they fail to see how they are debtors, or even the need for forgiveness.  May each of us be ever mindful of God’s forgiveness, and our need for it.
 
Let us pray: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you  in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
 
CALENDAR REMINDERS
 
The 6th Annual Art Show, “Let There Be Light,” continues this week ending this weekend. Please be there for this event which reaches out to the community. 
 
Blessing of the Animals for the Feast of St. Francis will be Saturday the 11th of October at 10 AM on the front lawn by the cross.
 
We will continue with our Adult Christian Education series, Islam in Focus, on Sunday, 12 October at 11 AM.
 
Trick-or-treat at St. Augustine.  Please bring candy for our annual trick-or-treat for the neighborhood on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on 31 October 2014.
 
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.
 
Your servant in Christ,
 
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

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