slightly in Gabriel’s direction. The low-cut neckline of her blue tunic revealed the generous swell of her breasts. Her kohl-ringed eyes shone with the sparkle of black diamonds. Her raven hair, as lustrous as polished jade, reached below her shoulders, a telling sign of her shameful trade.
She purposely let her tears fall on Jesus’ feet and then tilted her head so that her hair brushed against the wet spots. After a bit she massaged his feet and slowly bathed and dried them. During this most intimate of gestures, Jesus continued speaking of love as being the fulfillment of the law.
Gabriel looked away, unable to watch what struck him as blatant hypocrisy. How can this man let a prostitute caress him in front of Mary, the woman he supposedly loves? Gabriel’s rage turned his eyes blurry. It appeared that Jesus was doing to Mary Magdalene what Dismas and Judith had done to him. Gabriel bit his tongue to keep from crying out.
As Jesus spoke, the woman took ointment from the alabaster jar she was carrying and began to anoint and kiss his feet. Gabriel noticed Mary Magdalene frowning. He understood her pain, so similar to his own. She was obviously in love with Jesus, but did he even care? Gabriel watched as Mary diverted her eyes, crimson-faced, lips quivering. Then, brushing away a few silent tears, she stood and fled the courtyard.
As the prostitute continued to anoint and kiss Jesus’ feet, other guests covered their mouths in disbelief or shook their heads in disgust. All this time Jesus appeared calm. Gabriel shook his head and backed away, unable to understand why a rabbi would allow this shameful behavior. A few of the women left with their children. Gabriel wanted to yell at Jesus, to demand to know why he would callously offend so many of his friends.
The Nazarene is making a mockery of Nicodemus’ praise of him. Gabriel considered leaving, for he now saw not a compassionate healer but a self-serving impostor. Would a true rabbi condone a prostitute’s scandalous behavior?
Gabriel started out, but a stir in the room stopped him. The guests were murmuring, their eyes turned toward Simon ben Ephraim. The round-faced host in the elegant purple robe pursed his lips and shook his head. He pointed at the woman and began to condemn her, but Jesus interrupted him with a story about two debtors, one who owed a lot, the other a little. Neither could pay, but their creditor was a generous man and canceled both debts. Jesus stared directly at Simon and asked, “Which of them will love him more?”
“I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt,” Simon said.
“You have judged rightly.” Jesus gestured toward the woman and 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. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet. 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.” Then he said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
At these words Gabriel’s chest tightened and his stomach began to spin. The other guests were whispering, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Stunned by what he had heard, Gabriel turned and left the courtyard.
I n the front of the house Gabriel encountered four women talking to Mary Magdalene. Two were holding on to her arms, trying to convince her not to leave. “But I must,” she told them, tearing her arms away. “How can I trust a man who shames me? I must go to my relatives in Jerusalem.”
She started down the dusty street, which was surrounded by one-story homes. Gabriel ran to catch up. “Mary, please wait. I must talk with you.” He pulled up beside her. She ignored him and kept walking in
She purposely let her tears fall on Jesus’ feet and then tilted her head so that her hair brushed against the wet spots. After a bit she massaged his feet and slowly bathed and dried them. During this most intimate of gestures, Jesus continued speaking of love as being the fulfillment of the law.
Gabriel looked away, unable to watch what struck him as blatant hypocrisy. How can this man let a prostitute caress him in front of Mary, the woman he supposedly loves? Gabriel’s rage turned his eyes blurry. It appeared that Jesus was doing to Mary Magdalene what Dismas and Judith had done to him. Gabriel bit his tongue to keep from crying out.
As Jesus spoke, the woman took ointment from the alabaster jar she was carrying and began to anoint and kiss his feet. Gabriel noticed Mary Magdalene frowning. He understood her pain, so similar to his own. She was obviously in love with Jesus, but did he even care? Gabriel watched as Mary diverted her eyes, crimson-faced, lips quivering. Then, brushing away a few silent tears, she stood and fled the courtyard.
As the prostitute continued to anoint and kiss Jesus’ feet, other guests covered their mouths in disbelief or shook their heads in disgust. All this time Jesus appeared calm. Gabriel shook his head and backed away, unable to understand why a rabbi would allow this shameful behavior. A few of the women left with their children. Gabriel wanted to yell at Jesus, to demand to know why he would callously offend so many of his friends.
The Nazarene is making a mockery of Nicodemus’ praise of him. Gabriel considered leaving, for he now saw not a compassionate healer but a self-serving impostor. Would a true rabbi condone a prostitute’s scandalous behavior?
Gabriel started out, but a stir in the room stopped him. The guests were murmuring, their eyes turned toward Simon ben Ephraim. The round-faced host in the elegant purple robe pursed his lips and shook his head. He pointed at the woman and began to condemn her, but Jesus interrupted him with a story about two debtors, one who owed a lot, the other a little. Neither could pay, but their creditor was a generous man and canceled both debts. Jesus stared directly at Simon and asked, “Which of them will love him more?”
“I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt,” Simon said.
“You have judged rightly.” Jesus gestured toward the woman and 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. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet. 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.” Then he said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
At these words Gabriel’s chest tightened and his stomach began to spin. The other guests were whispering, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Stunned by what he had heard, Gabriel turned and left the courtyard.
I n the front of the house Gabriel encountered four women talking to Mary Magdalene. Two were holding on to her arms, trying to convince her not to leave. “But I must,” she told them, tearing her arms away. “How can I trust a man who shames me? I must go to my relatives in Jerusalem.”
She started down the dusty street, which was surrounded by one-story homes. Gabriel ran to catch up. “Mary, please wait. I must talk with you.” He pulled up beside her. She ignored him and kept walking in
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