Seventh Sunday after Epiphany February 19, 2017 Haven Lutheran Church Readings: Psalm 130:3-6; Luke 7: Do You See This Woman?

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1 Seventh Sunday after Epiphany February 19, 2017 Haven Lutheran Church Readings: Psalm 130:3-6; Luke 7:36-50 Do You See This Woman? The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Lord, help us hear your Word and see your glory. Amen Do you see this woman? Jesus asks Simon. Simon doesn t answer aloud but his thoughts fill the room. They are thoughts likely shared by others he invited to this dinner. Of course I see THAT woman, he shouts in his mind. She s a renowned sinner in the town. Everyone knows her and what she has done. Why don t YOU see her for what she is, Jesus, you so-called prophet? Do you see this woman? Jesus asks Simon. Of course he sees the woman he has been loathing this sinner touching Jesus ever since she started. Of course Simon sees the woman she s an embarrassment to the sanctity of the table [fellowship], [his home, the law handed down by Moses, to God s very creation!] Simon sees an uninvited woman scandalously kneeling before Jesus, letting her hair down in front of men who are not her husband and pouring precious ointment from her now broken alabaster jar on Jesus feet which have been washed with her tears. Of course, he sees her. Simon isn t blind, he s angry. 1 Do you see this woman? Jesus asks Simon. Do you see this woman, whose provocative expression of brokenness and love is greater than her nametag that says SINNER? Do you see past the reputation... the notoriety, to the person whose life needs wholeness? Do you see the woman who is not secretly debating whether [I am] a prophet or not, but who is pouring out herself in worship? Simon, [you] see and you don t see. 2 Ah, but wait. Jesus wants to ask US, Do you see this man, Simon? Would we jump in with our own quick retorts? Of course we see Simon. He s a PHARISEE. One of those judgmental religious guys. He thinks he s better than everyone else is. He s got no

2 heart just laws. Simon is one of those who thinks he has earned God s favor and eternity and has no time for anyone who isn t as holy as he is. He cannot even see Jesus God incarnate right in front of him. He will do all he can to mock and disgrace him as a false prophet and expose him as one who dangerously undermines the status quo and tradition of Judaism. Do you see this man? Jesus asks us. We don t hesitate to jump in. He s the one who looks down his nose at me when I have one item too many at the quick lane in the supermarket. He s the one who cuts people off or shows you the finger when he doesn t like your driving. He s the one who thinks his ideas and opinions are the only ones that matter. He s the man who thinks all poor people are lazy, all women emotional, all young people are irresponsible and all old people have nothing to contribute. Yeah, we see this man, Jesus. And by the way, there s a lot of women like him, too. And they just make us mad. Do you see this man? Jesus asks us. Do you see the frightened man who lives inside Simon? Do you see the man who wants to believe he can figure out God and what God wants because he so wants God to approve of him and his life? Do you see the man whose rigidness is his way to hold the line against what he perceives will erode faith, the church and what he has always thought to be true? Do you see the man so afraid of doing wrong, of being wrong that he hides his heart and feelings even from himself so they won t be hurt? Do you see this man trapped, unable to accept the gift of forgiveness because he thinks it s weakness to admit you did anything wrong? And yes, Jesus says, there s a lot of women like him, too. And they just break my heart. Jesus sees the woman. Jesus sees Simon. Jesus sees beyond the exterior, beyond the public persona or stereotypes. Jesus sees the woman who knows she s a sinner. She knows she can t get free from what she has become on her own. She needs God s love and forgiveness but everyone else has said she is unworthy, she s beyond

3 saving... Jesus sees the woman who has found in him the acceptance and forgiveness of God and can t keep back the tears of joy. Jesus sees the woman who is stunned by the magnitude and audacity of God s grace, that is not... if you repent, then you will be forgiven. [But] because you have already been forgiven, therefore you can responds with a changed life, a heart that turns to God. 3 Jesus sees the woman for who she is and who she is becoming. On this occasion, he see a woman who has come to express love in a way that seem outrageous except to those who know when you have this much gratitude it will overflow as love on others. Jesus sees Simon. He holds up a parable as a mirror for Simon, not to destroy him but to free him. Jesus sees Simon trapped in an understanding of righteousness which causes him to distance himself from the woman while Jesus understands righteousness to mean moving toward her with forgiveness and a blessing of peace. 4 As long as Simon believes he doesn t need God s forgiveness, he will not know the incredible power and joy of coming clean and being freed for more than the narrow life he has created. Jesus sees Simon who has convinced himself that he has this faith thing nailed down ---- his regular church attendance, a tithe, sound theological thinking, prescribed sacrifices and separation from those who aren t as righteous as he ---- so he already has all he needs without any more from God. Jesus sees the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little. Quite possibly, Jesus would like to ask us, Do you see yourself in this woman, in this man Simon? Oh, there is the challenge for us. It s the challenge we face each time we honestly reflection before confession. I don t know about you, but I know I m a blend. I m so aware of my weaknesses and failings and my need for God. Yet how often do I act and think I can do it myself, on my own? How often in a day does the Simon in me make judgements? How many times do my stereotypes and fears distort who and what I see, and get in the way of living God s love?

4 Do you see this woman? Do you see this man, Simon? Do you see yourself? What we all have in common is that we need the love of a Savior. We all need Jesus who sees us through and through and loves us still, and forgives us completely. That is what will [give us the power and courage] to see ourselves through Jesus eyes to accept the reality of our judgmental nature and sinfulness 5 and accept the forgiveness that will heal and change us. Do you see this woman? Jesus asks. He calls it faith, this great call to love that knows no social hierarchy, no economic scale, no gender differential, no cultural barrier, no religious law. Answering to a love like that takes us places where we haven t been invited, 6 and changes how we see and act. Answering to that kind of love gives us the courage to be honest about ourselves and receive God s forgiveness with the gratitude of changing lives. I read in another church s posting, in the gospel of Luke, true faith is what happens when someone looks at Jesus and discovers God s forgiveness; and the sign and proof of this faith is love 7 and the courage to say, Yes, I m not all I want to be, and I know I m not all that God made me to be, but I m forgiven, loved and worthy. My sin does not define me, Jesus love does. That, my friends, is what it means to live by faith. And the more we live into that reality the less we try to hide our brokenness. The less we try to hustle for our sense of worth. The less we invest into impressing others, pretending to be more than we are. And the more we live in gratitude for Jesus love and forgiveness. And here s the beautiful, wonderful, miraculous part: the more we lean into that way of seeing and living, the less judgmental we become not just of ourselves, but of others... It seems too good to be true that Jesus could know the whole truth about us, and yet still love us fully and forgive us completely. But that s why we call it good news. 8 Go in peace. Share the good news. (We will! Thanks be to God] Linda M Alessandri 2/18/17

5 ENDNOTES 1.Mark D. Davis, Left Behind and Loving It: Living as if God's steadfast love really does endure forever posted June 6, 2016 on 2. Adapted from Mark D. Davis, Left Behind and Loving It: Living as if God's steadfast love really does endure forever posted June 6, 2016 on 3. Paul Nuechtertein, referring to work by Raymond Schwager, a reference I read in Andrew Prior s "The Healing of Smelly Feet" posted on onemansweb.org for June Fred B. Craddock Luke Louisville: John Knox Press 1990 p "Weekly Connect 2/19/17 posted by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church hwelch@popmm.org 6. Sheri Brown posted 2/14/17 on narrative lectionary community on Facebook.com 7. Tom Wright Luke for Everyone Louisville KY Westminster John Knox Press 2004 p "Weekly Connect 2/19/17 posted by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church hwelch@popmm.org