By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Homily by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at Mass with priests from the Archdiocese of Miami for the last day of the Annual Priest Convocation. Fort Lauderdale, Sept. 17, 2026.
Each of the four Gospels has an account of the washing of Jesus' feet by a woman. Scripture scholars would agree that the accounts of Matthew, Mark and John are essentially about the same incident. Luke's account, (Luke 7: 36-50) however, is significantly different so that many authorities would hold that what we have heard in Luke's account is unique, found only in Luke.
The story is touching in its drama. Three characters are involved: Jesus, Simon the Pharisee and the unnamed woman with a soiled reputation.
And, I think, if we were to ask the unchurched how they perceive us, the Church - and Christians in general - they would describe us in ways that would have us looking like Simon the Pharisee. And if the unnamed woman in the story saw Simon in the same way as the unchurched often see us, you can imagine how difficult it had to be for her to endure the nasty looks of Simon and those with him in order to meet Jesus.
But it apparently was worth it for her. She had - in spite of her sins - great faith. And - praise God - haven't we all seen people who have had reason to be turned off by actions of the Church leaders or just turned away by pew-sitters but in spite of it - in spite of us - all still seek out Jesus?
We see in these people expressions of faith - like the faith of this unnamed woman - that should put us to shame - for what we wouldn't do for Jesus, they do. It was Simon's house - so you would expect that he had at hand a basin, water and a towel to wash and dry Jesus' dusty feet. Yet he didn't. What we heard in Luke suggests that the woman came to do something additional to what Jesus should have expected of Simon - to perfume Jesus' feet after Simon's people had washed them.
She is a sinner - a hardened woman. Such women do not cry easily. But tears flow - and with such abundance they supply the water and her long hair (perhaps the mark of her trade) supplies for the towel. A great sinner, Simon thinks (and remember that to the unchurched he resembles us, and so likewise they feel themselves to be judged by us). But Jesus tells Simon - she sinned much, you say? I say she loved even more. And maybe in telling Simon this he also wants us to rid ourselves of those ways we judge and think that give rise to those perceptions that the unchurched have about us.
We cannot truly minister the mercy of Christ to others if we forget that we ourselves are first and foremost debtors saved by grace. Jesus reminds us today that he who is forgiven little, loves little. Our capacity to stand in the confessional for hours, to offer absolution without coldness, and to shepherd the broken depend entirely on keeping fresh our own memory of mercy. We cannot give what we have not received.
Jesus asks Simon, "Do you see this woman?" Simon saw a public sinner; Jesus saw a precious soul. We are challenged to look past the labels, schedules, and administrative burdens of our parishes to truly see the wounded people standing before us.
Jesus had something to say to Simon. Does he have something to say to us? Perhaps, Jesus’ words to Simon could help us make an audit our interior life - maybe during your next Holy Hour:
“You gave me no water for my feet…” Have I allowed my daily prayer to become dry, clinical, and mechanical? Am I offering Christ a routine instead of a relationship?
“You gave me no kiss…” Is there an intimacy missing in my prayer? Am I talking about Jesus in my homilies more than I am talking to Him in the quiet of the night?
“Do you see this woman?”When I look at my parishioners, do I see them with the eyes of Christ, or have I begun to secretly resent them as interruptions to my schedule?
The woman’s tears washed Christ's feet. Boredom and spiritual dryness often stem from a heart that has grown rigid. Pray for the gift of tears—not just of sorrow for sin, but of profound gratitude for being chosen despite your weaknesses.
