(Audio)
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
It is important to realize how much Jesus has done for us. There are aspects of our faith that we might seek out of interest or desire for entertainment. But if we let the love of Jesus penetrate us we are shaken to our cores. The results often leave us humbled and undignified.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
This woman wouldn't normally want to be seen in such a condition. But she wouldn't trade the closeness she was experiencing with Jesus for the sake of how others see her. Those tears were tears she wouldn't trade for joy apart from Jesus. There is something better about knowing our own brokenness in the light of the love of Jesus than happiness or joy apart from him.
We have been given a great gift. We are called to put it to use and fan it into flame.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
The sinful woman turned the gift of her reception of forgiveness into love and intimacy with Jesus. Timothy was called to turn the sacramental gift of the imposition of hands into an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, attentive to reading, exhortation, and teaching. We ourselves have received so much. Let us not neglect it.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Let us be absorbed in the love we ourselves have received so that it transforms us and flows outward to those around us.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Our sense of need and our sense of how abundantly the LORD meets that need beyond all expectation is important to having a healthy fear of the LORD, the beginning of wisdom.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
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