You may recall that back in December, Pope Francis invited us into an extraordinary year, a year of jubilee, a year of mercy, in which he helped us to remember that the Father’s face. Jesus is the Father’s face of mercy, and that mercy is really the mission of the church. Mercy and forgiveness are available to us, because God is generous to us and offers us that chance of forgiveness.

We see that clearly today in the scripture passages, especially that first reading in which we see how Nathan, the Prophet brings David face-to-face with issues of his past, confronts him with his sins. He recounts to David how good the Lord was to him, yet somehow David forgot about that, and seems to despise the Lord and His sins. David, recognizing his transgressions says, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And then Nathan reveals God’s mercy to him, that moment of mercy. He says, “On your part, your sins are forgiven.” We see that too in St. Paul’s life as well. Moments of mercy are offered to him. In the process of conversion, grace is given to him. He says, “It’s no longer I who live, but Christ lives with me, for I’ve been crucified with Christ.”

And then in today’s Gospel, it’s clear that the woman with a heavy heart and burdened goes to approach the Lord, because she is confident and hopeful that He will offer her forgiveness. She bathes his feet with the tears from her eyes, and anoints them, and kisses his feet. This is humility. This is love. And Jesus gives her forgiveness,”Your sins are forgiven.”

He teaches us the same lesson, that when we can come to Him and experience those moments of mercy, we can come and receive true healing by first recognizing our own faults and own sins, and trusting in the mercy of God. The woman in the Gospel showed great love. The love that’s mirrored to her is the love of Christ.

As we celebrate this Eucharist today, let’s think about those many moments of mercy that God offers to us, and give God thanks for those times that we are able to again return to Him with fullness of love.