Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Forgiving Encounter
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. The core of the good news that Paul brings to the Corinthians is the resurrection of Jesus. Paul insists because Greeks do not easily accept this truth. For Christians, the resurrection means life more than a dogma; it means hope and a great future.
Gospel. A woman with a bad reputation, which she apparently deserved, comes to Jesus and shows in a rather extravagant way that something in her cries out for a purer kind of love than she had experienced in life. Her encounter with Jesus in faith and love led to forgiveness, to the scandal of the good practising people. For us too, Jesus’ encounter with us is always forgiving.
Opening Prayer
Patient and loving Father,
you sent Jesus your Son among us
to heal what is broken and wounded.
He touched us with his goodness
and did not break the crushed reed.
Forgive us our sins,
let your Spirit continue in us
the work of conversion
and make us patient and understanding
with those who love us and those who fail us.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
First Reading
Resurrection of the Dead
Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you— a message you received and on which you stand firm.
By that gospel, you are saved, provided that you hold to it as I preached. Otherwise, your faith has been in vain.
In the first place, I passed on to you what I myself received: that Christ died for our sins, as Scripture says;
that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day, in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve.
Afterward, he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at once; most of them are still alive, although some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the apostles.
And last of all, he appeared to me,
the least of the apostles, who am not even worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God.
But by God’s grace, I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Now, whether it was they or I, this we preach and this you have believed.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.”
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
You are my God, and I give thanks to you;
O my God, I extol you.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The Pharisee who had invited Jesus was watching and thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of person is touching him; isn’t this woman a sinner?”
Then Jesus spoke to the Pharisee and said:
“Simon, I have something to ask you.”
He answered:
“Speak, master.”
And Jesus said:
Because they could not pay him back, he graciously canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered:
“The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.”
And Jesus said:
“You are right.”
And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon:
This is why I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, as her great love has shown. But the one who is forgiven little has little love.”
Then Jesus said to the woman:
“Your sins are forgiven.”
The others reclining with him at the table started to wonder:
“Now this man claims to forgive sins!”
But Jesus again spoke to the woman:
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace!”
Prayers of the Faithful
– That the community of God’s people may be a source of peace, of forgiveness and reconciliation, of new opportunities for tomorrow, we pray:
– That we may be gentle in our judgment of others, aware that every day anew we too are we in need of forgiveness, we pray:
– That in our families and communities we may be attentive to the good that is done and not be discouraged by each other’s shortcomings, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father,
you have invited us to encounter your Son
and to offer with him the sacrifice
that forgives our sins.
Dispose us to forgive others
as you forgive us
and to share at the table of your Son
the bread of unity and reconciliation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Merciful Father
in this eucharist your Son Jesus said to us too:
your sins are forgiven
and he ate with us the meal
that brings reconciliation.
May all this deepen our love for you
and dispose us to extend a hand of peace
to all those who have hurt us
and to those we have wounded.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Blessing
The words of Jesus have been spoken to us too, “Your sins are forgiven.” May it be said of us too that we show great love, both of God and of people. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Luke 7:36-50
When forgiveness becomes love
Luke introduces two individuals before Jesus. First, Simon, who greets him warmly but remains somewhat defensive and guarded in his heart. Second, an unnamed woman, known as a sinner, weeps at Jesus’ feet and gently anoints him with perfume. Simon quietly judges her without understanding her love; however, Jesus sees and appreciates her heartfelt devotion.
Simon sees a category; Jesus sees a person. Simon measures another’s past; Jesus receives repentance. The woman offers what Simon withheld: tenderness, humility, gratitude, and trust. Her tears become a confession, her perfume a prayer, and her love the fruit of forgiveness.
Jesus does not come to pronounce a judgment that condemns, but to offer mercy and healing and restore his people back into the status of Children of God. His mercy does not imply that sin is harmless. It liberates the sinner from shame and helps them to enter into a new life with God.
Jesus’ parable shows why Simon loves so little: he doesn’t see his own need for forgiveness. Being self-righteous can shut the heart because it treats grace as something that only others need. On the other hand, the woman understands she has nothing to defend and everything to receive. Truly forgiven, she loves so freely and generously.
Christ warmly invites us to see through his merciful eyes. Think about who we might have labelled or judged unfairly. It’s easy to forget how much we depend on grace in our daily lives. Let’s come to Jesus with honesty, humility, and trust. Imagine our communities transforming into places where everyone’s door is open, no one is seen as an enemy, and reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace fill our everyday lives.