9781644135945

The Light of the World
This is a day of salutary fear in view of what the Gospel relates to us concerning the Jews.
They see Christ and hear His words; they behold His miracles, His virtue, His holiness, His
freedom from sin; yet they do not believe in Him but turn away from Him. We, too, can abuse
the grace that is given us. “He that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor
10:12). Lord, protect us from the evil of the abuse of grace, from the evil of spiritual blindness,
from the spirit of unbelief. Grant that we may always and everywhere listen to Thy voice and
follow Thee, our true shepherd.
Prayer
Enlighten the hearts of Thy faithful by this sanctified fast, O God of mercy, and in Thy kindness
turn a pitying ear to the suppliants to whom Thou givest the spirit of devotion.
Give ear unto our supplications, O almighty God, and benignly grant the effect of Thy
accustomed mercy to those whom Thou hast allowed to be confident in the hope of Thy good
will. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday
On the last Thursday before Holy Thursday, the day of the reconciliation of penitents, we
celebrate Mass in the church of the holy bishop and martyr, St. Apollinaris. Today we are
the sinner who sheds tears and confesses her sins in penance and contrition at the feet of
the Savior.
“At that time one of the Pharisees desired Jesus to eat with him; and He went into the house
of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat. And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner,”
learned that Jesus was in the house of Simon. She came to Christ, for her conscience was
giving her no rest. She was not invited to this banquet; but she came in and in the sight of
all present she cast herself down and washed Christ’s feet with her tears and dried them
with her hair; she then kissed His feet and anointed them with oil. Simon, the host, looked
upon this scene with suspicion and said to himself: “This man, if He were a prophet, would
know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him; that she is a sinner,”
a fallen woman (Gospel).
The Lord knew very well the thoughts of His host and spoke a parable: “A certain creditor
had two debtors; the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And whereas they
had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him
most? Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And He said to
him: Thou hast judged rightly. . . . Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou
gavest Me no water for My feet; but she with tears hath washed My feet and with her hairs
hath wiped them. Thou gavest Me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss
My feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed My
feet. Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much; but
to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.” Then Christ turned to the sinful woman. “Thy sins
are forgiven thee. . . . Thy faith hath made thee safe. Go in peace” (Gospel). We, too, are like
the sinner at the feet of our Lord. We acknowledge with tears of sorrow and love our many
sins, and with the sinner of the Gospel we beg to be forgiven. “Deliver us not up forever,
278