A Point of View
Pascal Pierini OCD
Fr. Pascal Pierini is a native of Sacramento, California, and has been a Carmelite friar for over sixty years. An accomplished musician and writer, he is the founding editor of Carmelite Digest. He is presently a member of the novitiate community in San Jose, California.
The four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, report an incident of a woman washing and anointing the feet of Jesus. However, there are such variations of this theme—variations of time frame, identity of dramatis personae, and interpretation of the deed—that it may be suspected such an incident took place more than once. After all, the woman’s ministrations were the typical welcome to the dining table of those times. Of the four, Luke’s is the clearest in form and style. It is generally acknowledged that this evangelist held a priority of place as the most cultivated of the New Testament writers. In chapter one, verses 1-4, Luke explains his methodology. In describing an event in the life of Jesus, Luke is cognizant of style but also of order and clarity. It is Luke’s account of a woman washing and anointing Jesus’ feet that will be investigated in this article.
The aforesaid event occurs rather early in Luke’s Gospel in chapter seven, verses 36-49. A typical Lucan leit-motiv of Jesus’ compassion plays as a background in the event. The occasion is a dinner to which Jesus is invited. It is not surprising that Jesus accepts the invitation. He is always willing to bring his message to whoever may listen. In fifteen verses, the evangelist describes dramatically this meal-event, leading ultimately to Jesus’ own interpretation of what has elapsed.
At the very beginning, the situation seems cold, unfriendly, and discourteous. The host, Simon, is a Pharisee; and Pharisees were known (and wanted to be known) for their meticulous observance of law and custom. Jesus will point out later (verses 44-45) that he was not given the ritual welcome: his feet were not bathed (after the dust of the roadway), the kiss of friendship was not given, and his head was not anointed with oil (the purpose of this last is guessable according to the hygienic facilities of the times).
After Jesus was shown to his place, he reclined at table as was then the custom. Then, something unforeseen happened, shocking the host and his other guests. Look—a woman who had made a living by selling her favors, a prostitute (verses 37, 39), has come on the scene. Luke relates that she has heard of this dinner (verse 37) and, perhaps, that it had been set up to disgrace this rural person from Galilee who had been making extravagant claims about himself and indulging in feats of trickery, so the host and his like-minded guests may have judged (cf. verses 37, 39).
But on she came, unafraid of these fastidiously pious men, many whose lust she may have satisfied in the past. She came to honor a man who they misunderstood and misjudged. And she had come prepared, carrying an alabaster flask of ointment (verse 37), which was very expensive. She carried it before her like an offering gift.
What was different about her? There was her famous beauty, which made her wealthy enough to afford the precious ointment, and her clothes were simple and modest. There were no gaudy cosmetics—no flashing jewelry. There was majesty in her purposeful step—the majesty of humility. St. Teresa of Avila, impatient with outward or even inner pretense, wrote "humility is truth." The woman in question had found the truth, and it had set her free. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free," Jesus said on another occasion. The woman’s eyes were clearly set on Jesus, and his eyes met hers—the noble, redeemed daughter of Zion. She had been set free—free to truly love a man who did not take but gave what no other man could—God’s loving forgiveness.
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