The Power Of Authenticity

Luke 7:36-8:3

One of the Pharisees asked Jesusj to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39 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 kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii,k and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesusl said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Some Women Accompany Jesus

8 Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2 as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for thema out of their resources.

This week, I came across these fathers’ day stories:

One Sunday in a Midwest city a young child was "acting up" during the morning worship hour. The parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the pew but were losing the battle. Finally the father picked the little fellow up and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out. Just before reaching the safety of the foyer the little one called loudly to the congregation, "Pray for me! Pray for me!"

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A daddy was listening to his child say his prayer "Dear Harold". At this, dad interrupted and said, "Wait a minute -how come you called God ’Harold’"?

The little boy looked up and said, "That’s what they call Him in church.

You know the prayer we say, "Our Father, who art in Heaven, Harold be Thy Name."

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And this particular four-year-old prayed: "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

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Today is father’s day, but our Gospel lesson according to the Common Lectionary focuses mostly on women. It talks about a women that came to Jesus and cried at his feet, and later in Chapter 8, mentions “some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.”

I guess today, God wants us men learn from the women. Let’s see what we can learn from this scripture lesson that can benefit the fathers as well as all of us. I see the story describes a summery of beginning the journey with Christ and live a significant life. To begin the journey to a significant life I must…

1 – Face My Hypocrisy

There is an Indian story of a monk and a prostitute who live across the street from each other. Their homes are also situated in a way that they could see each other through their windows from across the street. Everyday, as he meditates, the monk inevitably sees men went in and out of the home across the street, and he said, “God this woman is such a sinner. May she be burn in hell when she die!”