Forgiven Much - Loving Much

A Past Meditation 
Written in the past and newly restored.

Inspired by Luke 7

Picturing the woman weeping at the feet of Jesus.

Christ forgives

so that we may love.

As I prayed with today’s Gospel (Luke 7), I found myself deeply moved by the woman who came to Jesus in tears.

While others saw only her past,

Jesus saw her heart.

She knelt at His feet,

washing them with her tears,

drying them with her hair,

and anointing them with costly perfume.

Her love revealed a heart that had encountered mercy.

The Lord gently contrasted her loving response with the indifference of those who believed they had little need of forgiveness.

Those who recognize the greatness of God’s mercy often discover a deeper capacity to love.

I have often reflected on forgiveness.

What moves me to tears is the image of our Heavenly Father standing with open arms, longing to welcome His children home.

When we are at our lowest,

when our hearts cry out in sorrow,

He does not turn us away.

He runs to meet us with mercy,

heals us,

and loves us without measure.

Some of the greatest saints knew this deeply.

St. Paul.

St. Augustine.

St. Francis.

St. Mary Magdalene.

Each experienced the transforming power of God’s mercy.

Even St. Teresa of Ávila observed that God can bring great good from our wanderings when they lead us back to Him in humility and love.

When we fall,

we come to know our poverty apart from God.

We discover how completely we depend upon His grace.

This painful self-knowledge becomes a gift,

because it opens our hearts to humility.

And humility makes room for love.

Having received mercy ourselves,

we begin to look upon other sinners differently.

Instead of condemnation,

our hearts grow in compassion.

We recognize that apart from God’s grace,

we are no different.

This is one of the beautiful fruits of reconciliation.

I do not mean that it is good to fall into sin.

Sin always wounds.

Yet our God is so good that He can bring grace even from our failures when we sincerely repent and return to Him.

Nothing is beyond His power to redeem.

Sometimes there are souls who have faithfully followed the Lord from childhood.

Their path is beautiful.

Others have wandered far before finding their way home.

Their path is beautiful too.

Every soul must ultimately learn the same lesson:

that God’s love is never earned.

It is always a gift.

Whether our conversion is quiet or dramatic,

we all stand before Him with empty hands,

receiving what we could never deserve.

The Gospel is summed up in one word:

Love.

Lord,

how deep does Your love go?

The answer is found in the Passion of Jesus Christ.

There,

upon the Cross,

Love held nothing back.

This is a mystery we spend our whole lives entering more deeply.

Lord,

I place my hand in Yours.

Give me courage,

and walk beside me

along the road to Calvary.

Draw me ever closer to Yourself.

May I never cease to marvel at Your mercy,

and may the love You have poured into my heart

overflow to every soul I meet.

Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Which part of this Gospel speaks most deeply to your heart?

When have you experienced the healing mercy of Jesus in your own life?

How has receiving His forgiveness helped you grow in compassion toward others?

I’d love to hear your reflections in the comments.