The Woman With The Alabaster Flask
is the only outed person at the dinner table.
Simon the Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner, but somehow a “woman of the city” catches wind of the soiree and sneaks in the back door carrying “an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing at Jesus’ feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.” Lovely, except, as Luke notes, she “was a sinner” (Luke 7:36-50).
Simon dear takes offense, and Jesus answers him with a story about a creditor who had two debtors. One who owed him fifty cents, and one who was drowning by the thousands. The creditor forgave them both. “Now,” Jesus asks Simon, “which of them will love him more?” Even a Pharisee can get this one right. Even Simon can see that the one who is forgiven more will love more.
Everything in this little story turns on that word, sinner. Luke tells us, “she was a sinner,” but there’s something odd, even tautological about that. Is there anyone who is not a sinner? What he means is, she was a known sinner. She screwed up in some way that couldn’t be hidden or covered up. She couldn’t pay hush money. Her private wrongs were public. Which ends up being an awful blessing, Jesus says to Simon. The known sinner has no other option but to fall into the arms of mercy. Jesus’ implicit question for Simon, for all of us at that table is, What about you sinners-in-hiding? What option is open to you?
If we haven’t already been forced, most of us are not coming out of hiding in public. All right. But find one person to whom you can come out. That’s the traditional task of Lent, after all. Find a spiritual friend, a confessor, a loved one, a counselor.
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
Introduction
Stories of Turning
Week One
Stories of Wild Places
Week Two
Stories of Dogged Faith
Week Three
Stories of Mercy & Forgiveness
Week Four
Stories of Simplicity & Joy
Week Five
Stories of Prayer & Surrender
Week Six
Stories of Transforming Love
“What he means is, she was a known sinner.”
And the obvious sinner is the obvious worshipper.
Luther said it–“Sin boldly.” Be obvious.
Years ago, Robert Fulghum put out a story about watching neighborhood children playing hide and seek. One was so good at hiding that he/she could not be found. His thought: Get found!
Thanks, David. Getting Outed isn’t fun, perhaps, but it is certainly life-changing.
That’s a great story—I seem to remember it.
Your story reminds me of those bumper stickers from 30 years ago, “I Found It,” meaning salvation/Jesus/redemption. And someone—was it Will Willimon—said, Someone should tell these people, ‘Get lost!’