St.Joseph's Church, Arimalam

From a collection of anonymous homilies on the sinful woman, 1, 4.5.19.26.28 (Eastern Syrian)

"Her many sins have been forgiven"

A sinful woman has proclaimed to us that God's love has gone forth in search of sinners. For when he called her, Christ was inviting our whole race to his love; and in her person he was drawing all sinners to his forgiveness. He spoke to her alone, but he was drawing all creation to his grace. (…) Who would not be struck by the mercy of Christ, who accepted an invitation to a Pharisee's house in order to save a sinner! For the sake of the woman who hungered for forgiveness, he himself felt hunger for the table of Simon the Pharisee; and all the while, under the guise of a meal of bread he had prepared for the sinner a meal of repentance! (…) In order that you may have the same experience, reflect within yourself that your sin is great but that it is blasphemy against God, and an injury to yourself, to despair of his forgiveness because your sin seems to you to be too great. He has promised to forgive your sins, however many they are; will you tell him you cannot believe this and dispute with him, saying that your sin is too great and he cannot heal your sickness? Stop at that point, and cry out with the prophet: “Lord, I have sinned against you” (Ps 51[50]:6). At once he will reply, "As for me, I have overlooked your fault: you shall not die." Glory to him from us all through all ages. Amen.

Other Thoughts

First

Last

"Her many sins have been forgiven"

An anonymous Syrian writer of the 6th century

"Her many sins have been forgiven"

Shrine Counselling

Contact Shrine