For She Loved Much

The bed creaked and in a few moments she was finally alone.  He had taken it out of her this time…she knew soon she would die.  She pushed her hair sweat stuck from her forehead, and she shivered occasionally - though not from cold.  Eventually, she stood up and walked to the window overlooking the city.  It was just beginning to wake up…he had taken longer than she had thought.  She wrapped her shawl a bit tighter around her bony elbows.  As much as she ate, she kept losing weight…she knew she was sick with something, soon she would die.  Maybe that wouldn’t be all bad…

    Was this the life she was escaping from?  The woman who came to Jesus in Luke’s Gospel, anointing his feet and washing them with her tears and hair?  She never said a word to him…only entered the room and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment.
   She dared not even speak to Jesus, but her love took her to wash his feet, for she knew that he alone could save her.  And if he could save her…
    Do you see this woman? He said.  I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss 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 are many, are forgiven– for she loved much.  But he who is forgiven little, loves little.  Your sins are forgiven.  Your faith has saved you; go in peace.     In that moment, peace…and perhaps even more than just her sins had been healed. She had found her savior, at last she felt safe. And for this she loved him all the more: her love had meant something to him.  No, he had not forgiven her because of her love…but see how he had spoken to the Pharisee? He had almost praised her for her love.  Never had she known it could be valued so much. 

Our Savior’s healing is the rock of our salvation – tell me, whom shall I fear?  The Lord is my strength and my life.

(Scripture from Luke 7)
(photo credit: y0j1m80 at  http://y0j1m80.deviantart.com/art/Broken-Window-81440105)