Bible Text: Luke 7:36-50 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
A video surfaced back in March on Upworthy.com and was followed by an article in the Huffington Post. It was about a soup kitchen in Kansas. Kansas City Community Kitchen serves food to the homeless in restaurant style. It includes greeters, waiters and as one article put it, a side of respect. Individuals arrive at the soup kitchen and are greeted by a hostess who seats them at their table with a menu. A little while later a waiter comes to take their order. One patron commented, “It’s different. They’re treating me good, like they don’t know I’m homeless.” The idea came from a chef and restaurant owner in the area. It just so happens that he also lived in poverty and knows what it’s usually like when having a meal at a busy soup kitchen. Through his experience and generosity he now plans and prepares these meals on a daily basis and it brings a little bit of dignity to the folks who come in for a meal.
Our Gospel passage is also about a meal and providing dignity but it is also a very unique story. The story of a woman anointing Jesus appears in all four Gospels. However, there are major variations to that story and those variations of the story really change its meaning. In Mark and Matthew the event takes place two days before the Passover, in the home of a different Simon, and it is the disciples who are disgusted by the woman’s behaviour. In John it occurs at Lazarus’ house and it is Lazarus’s sister, Mary, who anoints the feet of Jesus. But here in Luke we have an unnamed woman who comes into the house of a Pharisee while he hosts Jesus for dinner. Imagine if an uninvited guest just came to your house and began provocatively addressing your dinner guests. I really understand Simon’s response and shock. I know my body language would reflect a, “Who does she think she is?!” kind of attitude.
This is rather ironic since Jesus was invited to Simon’s house for supper because Simon was wondering, “Who does he think he is?” Simon has not overtly come out and criticized or challenged Jesus. In fact, it would appear that he’s not even interested in having Jesus preach or teach. We do learn, however, that Simon isn’t the best dinner host. Simon’s inner dialogue is, “If this Jesus really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman this is and what she does for a living.” It should be pointed out that regardless of what she did or whether she was a known sinner or not, what she is doing is very scandalous. Not only has she crashed this dinner party but a woman would have never uncovered her hair before strangers nor would she have touched a stranger’s feet. These were intimate details left for marital couples. So, it is all a bit shocking. But, given her likely profession, she is used to sharing intimate details with strangers. Jesus, however, never asks her questions, never demands that she explain herself, never pushes her out of the way. Instead Jesus tells her that because of her scandalous behaviour she has demonstrated love and her sins, which were many, have been forgiven.
Simon believes that he has gained his status in society because of his moral rectitude. In his eyes, he is a righteous man. In contrast to Simon, the unnamed woman puts aside all worries about reputation, in order to find Jesus. She comes uninvited into the company of men and tenderly cares for Jesus. But Simon, so caught up in his analysis of righteousness and purity, is entirely untouched by this woman’s sorrow. She is just a sinner. His pride in his own righteousness is his undoing. It leaves him blind to his own debts and the one before him who could and would cancel them. In the end, the uninvited woman is invited by Jesus to new life and possibility. If Simon didn’t want a teaching moment, he shouldn’t have invited Jesus for dinner. Jesus goes into a parable about two debtors. One has 500 denarii in outstanding debts and another 50 but both debts are cancelled. The creditor as a result demonstrates love for both but a greater love for the one with the greater debt. This story is all about generosity and dignity. Jesus chastises Simon for his lack of hospitality, not treating Jesus with the dignity he deserves as guest. Jesus expresses a deep sense of generosity as he forgives the sins of this woman and gives a parable to others. We are often like Simon in this story, calling out others on their debts while hoarding our own blessings but we are also a lot like the woman. We have our own debts and we owe God an un-payable debt and what does God do? God invites us to a table for dinner.
Not only has God been generous with us but we should take what we have, what we do, what we earn, what we harvest, and place it on the table. Our offerings are not solely about paying our bills but each week we pray that the funds will be transformed into the building up of God’s kingdom. They reflect our deep sense of gratitude for the grace we have received, for the dignity of being one of Jesus’ dinner guests. Our offerings are not a burden but a joyful obligation. Just as God’s generosity has freed us from our debts, our generous gifts provide us with the freedom to teach, show, and provide for others in service to Christ. As we come to the table to be fed, so may our responses feed others, and let’s enjoy all the guests who come for a meal in this place. Amen