Prayerful thoughts for the day
Great Love merits great forgiveness
- In the days of Jesus on earth, women were deprived of their rightful respect and status. He changed that, he honored and defended them, recognized their equality as his followers, and rightful place in society.
- The male leaders, clerics, priests, and bishops became the authority figures of the church and went against the teaching and practice of Jesus.
- The church as it is now has much to do to apologize, repent, and confess its present and historical sins against women. They must recognize the dignity and equality of women.
- The mission of Jesus’ followers today is to re-establish this dignity of women in the institutional Church and secular society worldwide. They must end the disgraceful exploitation and abuse of women as sex objects.
- All must accept the equality of women in the community and in the world.
- Jesus told Simon a story about a man that was owed money by two debtors, one had a large dept and one with a small debt. He forgave both their debts.
- Jesus has forgiven and accepted a sinful woman.
- The Pharisees did not repent and change after witnessing the miracles of Jesus, in fact, they planned his execution.
- Pharisees and their rituals, and routine religious practice, are like some of the clerics today; celebrating a ritual sacrifice and satisfying their comforts, pleasures, and love of money without compassion, care, service, and justice for the poor is wrong-doing.
- Let us work together, allow the Holy Spirit to be upon us to inspire us to take up the mission of Isaiah, the mission of Jesus, and make it ours.