JUDGING THE SINS OF OTHERS
“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and took his place at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his 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. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.’” (Lk 7: 36-39)
This Pharisee is considered a “righteous” man by the standards of his world, although he isn’t called “righteous” in the Gospel-narrative. He know-it-all attitude leads him to misjudge both Christ and the woman in the incident described here. The Pharisee expected Jesus to recoil from her touch, and to do so publicly, because his judgmental attitude led him to undervalue both his invited Guest and the woman who showed up uninvited.
But I’m thinking that a truly righteous man, according to the Gospel, would have a different reaction to a “sinful” woman. I’m thinking, specifically, of the reaction of the righteous Joseph, when he noticed that the virgin betrothed to him, Mary, was pregnant. “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man,” we read in Matthew 1: 19,“and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” There is compassion and considerate discretion in the reaction of this truly righteous man, to what looked like a “sinful” woman. Yes, he had resolved to send her away, but he didn’t want to “put her to shame,” as the Pharisee expected Christ to do to the “sinful” woman.
I know, there is much more to be said about this passage. But I’m just noting to myself today, let me exercise caution, when it comes to judging the “sins” of others, because only God knows “what sort of woman (or man)” each of us is, and He is the One who will sort all of us out, in the end. Lord, thank You for letting us approach You, regardless of “the sort of people” others may think we are.
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A very fine reflection today from Sister Vassa. One can legitimately get the impression that contemporary Christians are intent to make it known how strongly they condemn sexual sins. A bit more humility and compassion may be a spiritually-healthy "antidote" for that propensity toward judgment. Sister Vassa offers some great examples from the Scriptures, but also the Example - and that is Christ Himself in his refusal to condemn "a woman of the city, who was a sinner." When does condemnation every evoke repentance as a response?