When I was a seminarian and was doing my internship in one of the parishes, after one of the Sunday masses a couple invited my pastor and me to their house for dinner. The pastor simply told them that he would get back to them. But when I asked him when we might go, he said that he had no intention of accepting the invitation. His reason was because that couple were living together without sacramental marriage. Besides, he said, they rarely come to church. I can’t support that way of living, he said. I thought about all this later and came to the conclusion that this is not what Jesus would have done. I am sure Jesus would accept the invitation and most likely use that opportunity to be with these people, show them love and respect, and maybe even try to find out why they don’t want to marry, and why they don’t attend church. Jesus came to sinners not only to those who are well. Today in the gospel reading Jesus is being accused of accepting an act of love done by a sinful woman. How could He? they thought. “Her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.” We can’t condemn anyone because of their way of living; we don’t know why they live that way, but we need always respect others and show them the best way to Christ and His forgiveness.
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