Gospel (Lk 7,36-50) - At that time, one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee's house and sat down at the table. And behold, a woman, a sinner from that city, hearing that she was in the house of the Pharisee, brought a jar of perfume; standing behind her, near his feet, crying, she began to wet them with tears, then she dried them with her hair, kissed them and sprinkled them with perfume. Seeing this, the Pharisee who had invited him said to himself: "If this man were a prophet, he would know who he is, and of what kind the woman who touches him is: he is a sinner!". Jesus then said to him: "Simon, I have something to tell you." And he replied: "Say it, master." «A creditor had two debtors: one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. Since they had nothing to repay, he forgave the debt to both of them. So which of them will love him more?" Simone replied: "I suppose he is the one to whom he has forgiven the most." Jesus said to him, "You have judged well." And, turning towards the woman, he said to Simon: «Do you see this woman? I entered your house and you did not give me water for my feet; instead she wet my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn't give me a kiss; but she, since I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You have not anointed my head with oil; instead she sprinkled perfume on my feet. For this reason I say to you: her many sins are forgiven, because she loved much. On the other hand, he who is forgiven little loves little." Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Then the guests began to say among themselves: "Who is this who even forgives sins?". But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace!".

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

While Jesus is at the table, invited by Simon, a Pharisee, a prostitute approaches her, and she, crying, anoints his feet with perfume. But prejudice against women was absolutely prevalent in Jesus' time. The reaction of those present to the welcome that Jesus offers to the woman is therefore understandable. In truth, they were the ones who did not understand the love of that woman and her desire to be forgiven, nor the love of Jesus. Contrary to the current mentality, Jesus, who reads the secret of hearts, understood the love of that woman, he welcomed her and forgave her. We could say that Jesus really goes against the grain. And he teaches his disciples to do it too. To make his feelings understood, he tells the short parable of the two creditors: one had to pay 500 denarii, the other 50. Neither of them could pay off the debt. However, both of them receive the pardon. Jesus then asks Simon, the Pharisee, which of the two will love their master more. The parable supposes that the two, both the Pharisee and the sinful woman, have received some favor from Jesus. Jesus invites us not to cultivate the blindness of believing ourselves to be righteous or not very sinners. On the contrary, he urges us to open our eyes to our sin and to feel, like that sinner, the need we have to be forgiven. Yes, we too need to hear: "Your sins are forgiven." And we understand even more the words that Jesus says on that occasion: "Many of his sins are forgiven, because he loved much." Love, in fact, erases sins and changes lives.