Today’s Reading: Luke 7:36-8:3 

When someone was a guest in another person’s home they would be given ‘hospitality’. If you watched some bible movies you understand that everyone wore sandals. Walking around on dirt roads would cause your feet to get dirty.

In displaying ‘hospitality’ a host would usually have someone designated, after greeting the guest with a kiss on the cheek, they would proceed to wash the guest’s feet. The host would also anoint the guest’s head with a little oil.

All those invited to the dinner would lie down on pillows for the table was low.  The main guest would be seated or lie down to the right of the host. A bowl with food would be passed around.

The women in our reading saw the awful treatment that Jesus had received from the Pharisee, and so she made her way into the room – ‘

Luke 7:37 “And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.’

This woman loved the Lord Jesus. She was not only heartbroken over her sins, but she was troubled as to why Jesus was treated so rudely. She knew that He only did kind and merciful things for people and here He was treated so disrespectfully. It bothered her to no end. So, as she stood behind Jesus, her tears fell on his feet. She took out what was valuable to her and did what the host should have done.

Many criticized what Mary did, but Jesus points out the hosts rudeness and said: I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

How welcoming are we to Jesus? Are we neglecting our most important guest?