Next Jesus turns religion on its head, crowning the sinful woman as a model of hospitality and propriety. Simon had not offered Jesus water to wash his feet, but the woman had used her tears; Simon had not greeted Jesus with the expected kiss of welcome, but she had not stopped kissing his feet; and although the custom of the time was to offer a guest some ointment for their hair as they groomed themselves for a banquet, Simon had offered Jesus nothing, while the woman had anointed Jesus' feet. Simon had let Jesus into his home with an air of entitlement, taking a posture of moral superiority as a Pharisee; this woman had approached Jesus asking only for forgiveness, and taking the posture of a supplicant. But Jesus wasn't finished. "Therefore," Jesus said - and you could almost hear the other shoe as it dropped - "I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.'

Simon, our Pharisee, a good Jew, was dumbstruck by the attitude of Jesus-towards the sinful woman. Jesus does not forgive the woman, but declares that she is forgiven. Jesus knew that nothing greater could happen to her, or to us, than being forgiven, being liberated from the carcinogenic effect of relentless guilt. Forgiveness results in reconciliation in spite of estrangement; it means reunion in spite of hostility; it is acceptance of those who are unacceptable; and it is reception of those who are rejected. By her love this woman shows that much has been forgiven her, while the lack of love shown to Jesus by Simon shows how little of the transformative power of forgiveness he understands or has experienced.

Jesus aches for Simon and his fellow Pharisees knowing that it is their religious devotion itself that stands in the way of their wholeness, for their religion tells them that forgiveness cannot come to those who don't deserve it. Their religion blinds them from seeing the Reign of God breaking into their very midst.

Jesus proclaimed to them in his deeds that God's forgiveness is unconditional - Jesus taught them that forgiveness comes "in spite of" our brokenness, not "because of" our religious achievements. Jesus knew that none of us can provide a moral calculator of reasons that adds up to why we should be forgiven. If forgiveness were conditional, no one could be accepted and no one could accept him or herself. This is what the unnamed woman in today's Gospel lesson knew - that she could only ask for, and accept forgiveness as gift, as grace, as something undeserved and yet essential to our full humanity.

As Jesus looked on these righteous Pharisees, I imagine that he was aware that forgiveness was too great a gift for some of them to accept, and too humiliating a judgment for others to bear. Jesus knew that it is precisely the righteous among us who are, ironically, able to forgive so little, and thus able to know so little of forgiveness for themselves. And since little is forgiven them, they love little; their righteousness is hard and self-assured, brittle and cold, making judgments against others with sharp tongues that cut, hurt and maim. Jesus knew that righteous folks too, want forgiveness, but they also believe that they don't need much of it.
Before any of us feel too smug, certain where we fit in this story, we need to pay attention ‘cause Jesus isn't through with us yet. "Therefore," we can hear Jesus saying to the church gathered at Dupont Circle, will you join Jesus or Simon, as you encounter those in your community who are judged unacceptable, whose behavior is inappropriate? "Therefore," Jesus confronts all of us, will you resist the temptation to judge another? Will you refuse to present yourselves to the world as acceptable to God by your own righteousness - progressive and liberal though it is?