Never judge a book by its cover - Sometimes the “bad guys” wear the white hats…..And the “good guys” on their “white horse” were not so good after all

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke a story that cuts across all social classes….As we all know, our world “evaluates us all”…It measures us according to the calculus of secular standards…This is reality….Where did you do to school?…..What do you do for a living?….Where do you live?…I think you get the idea…This is reality…Today, Jesus demonstrates in full view of the world…That those things mean very little to him….He also shows us that the “most important people” live and die by a different measure…And that is the only measurement that will last…..”A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment”………God views the world and measures value very different then we do……And when we stand before him at the end of our life…The standards and measures of the world will mean very little…..In my own life, I was reminded of this reality when I served and witnessed the poor in the developing world - In Haiti - In India - In Cambodia - In Vietnam - In South Africa - As I walked among bare foot people on concrete city streets - At times I saw something I did not see in the so called “sophisticated world”…..People with a pure faith and a clean heart….These are the measures we must strive for….This is the calculus of life we must evaluate others by but must importantly, this is the calculus we must live by…In the end - This is the only thing that matters

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord”

Last September the Missionaries of Charity had a Mass to commemorate the Feast Day of Mother Teresa in New York City…While I am not as active with the sisters as I once was since I have been married and now am a father of five children…I attended the Mass in Lower Manhattan with my youngest daughter Maria who at the time was three years old….At the Mass, a Bishop was there…Many of the Lay Volunteers I have served with over the years, a number of priests, etc….It was an impressive gathering of people for sure…..I sat in the back of the Church…My daughter Maria was still very young and sometimes would make noise…..While I was in the back of the Church…I noticed a very attractive young woman…She was dressed very conservatively…Almost like she was Amish…..But why I bring her up for the purposes of this reflection is - While her dress covered most of her body, protruding from her neck and the lower part of her legs were crazy tattoos….Clearly this woman at one time in her life “lived a very different life”….And now she was here as a faithful Catholic to remember the life of Mother Teresa….I did not say a word to this woman but the witness of her being at this Mass said all that needed to be said…If I was to bet…She once lived a very sinful life, by the looks of those tattoos on her neck….And was impacted by Mother Teresa’s sisters….And because of what was done for her, she took the time to bear witness to what Christ did - Die on the Cross for the sins of the world…This woman I saw in the back of the Church that day in New York City came to mind as I read the gospel today from Mass…."Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The others at table said to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace”…….Clearly no one knows the mind of God….But please allow me to make this claim….When all is said and done…When the “book is written and the final whistle blows”….And we all stand before the Lord in judgement…I am willing to make this claim right now…There will be many surprises as to who “gets in” to heaven and who does not….Just as I was surprised to see a beautiful young woman wearing a conservative dress at a Catholic Mass with tattoos on her neck.

“He has sent deliverance to his people; he has ratified his covenant forever; holy and awesome is his name”

Today at Mass we are told the story of a sinful woman who was forgiven her many sins…And because she was shown mercy, she not only changed her life, but became an instrument, allowing God to use her to serve others….This is the mark of a true and sincere conversion….Yet, as this woman washed the feet of Christ….”The perfect people” in the room judged her….Notice how there was no judgment from Jesus?……Once we confess our sins with a priest - What is done is done!….So much so, that in this gospel passage Jesus elevates the importance of this once sinful woman above all the others…..A lesson for all of us to take to heart…."Simon, I have something to say to you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?" Simon said in reply, "The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven." He said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment”……Never judge a book by its cover - Sometimes the “bad guys” wear the white hats…..And the “good guys” on their “white horse” were not so good after all……………JMJ