Today, we celebrate the feast day of St Januarius, the Bishop of Naples who died in the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century. Traditionally, on this day and on two other occasions each year, the blood of St Januarius, which is kept in a glass container, liquifies. According to recorded documentation, this miracle has taken place since at least the year 1389. The Church believes that the miracle takes place in response to the dedication and prayers of the faithful. When the miracle occurs, the mass of reddish dried blood, adhering to one side of the glass container, turns into completely liquid blood, covering the glass from side to side.
As we celebrate St Januarius today, our Gospel depicts Jesus’ interaction with two different individuals. First we have Simon the Pharisee, who magnifies the faults of others. That is such an easy way to go through life: looking at our family, friends, and co-workers, seeing their faults, pointing them out, and feeling superior to them. Simon is arrogant; he finds fault in a woman who comes to Jesus, but he minimizes his own faults. By contrast, the woman in the Gospel recognizes her own sinfulness. She knows she has problems. She wants Jesus to find it in his heart to forgive her and to help her change. She has a worshipful appreciation of Jesus as he forgives her and heals her. God wants all of us to have this same worshipful appreciation for Jesus as he reaches out to us in his teachings and in his proclamation of God's kingdom, as we receive inner healing from our relationship with him. Jesus responds to Simon’s retort against this woman as her sins have been forgiven her and as she is showing great love. God wants us to recognize that there is a connection to the forgiveness of our sins and to the compassion and love that we give in response – that is what God is calling us to do.
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