A sinful me?

I am not at St. Georges this weekend. I am in Auckland at a TSSF meeting to discuss how we live Justice, peace and the integrity of creation (JPIC).

The Associate Priest, Wendy Showan, has written this reflection for the pew sheet on this weeks Gosepl reading.

The “Reflections” written in The New Interpreter’s Bible for today’s Gospel reading provide some sobering reading! The point made is that “unless we see something of ourselves in the character of Simon the Pharisee, we are so blind to our own need that we have failed to hear the story. The soft underbelly of hypocrisy is always vulnerable to the truth and we are most vulnerable when we are blind to our own faults. Simon thought he was blameless. He ‘knew’ the woman was a sinner, and he assumed that she had defiled Jesus. Jesus then exposed the contrast between Simon’s distant hospitality and the woman’s sincere affection. The contrast was clear – and it left Simon doubly exposed and embarrassed. First a shameful display of affection from a sinful woman occurred in his house. Second, a guest had called attention to the host’s lack of hospitality. In the Middle East the importance of honour and shame and the family name can hardly be overestimated…… Jesus cut through social amenities to Simon’s regard for himself and others and his relationship to God…. Simon didn’t recognise his need for forgiveness – and therefore could not receive it! On the other hand the woman knew she was a sinner. Therefore she could receive God’s forgiveness. Knowing that she was a sinner, she could also know what it meant to be forgiven.” Where do we stand on this I wonder can we both forgive and accept forgiveness?