Epistle – Osee xiv. 2‒10
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God: for you have fallen down by your iniquity. Take with you words, and return to the Lord, and say to Him: Take away all iniquity, and receive the good: and we will render the calves of our lips. Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses, neither will we say any more: The works of our hands are our gods, for you will have mercy on the fatherless that is in you. I will heal their breaches, I will love them freely: for my wrath is turned away from them. will be as the dew, Israel will spring as the lily, and his root will shoot forth as that of Libanus. His branches will spread, and his glorywill be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus. They will be converted that sit under his shadow: they will live on wheat, and they will blossom as a vine: his memorial will be as the wine of Libanus. Ephraim will say, What have I to do any more with idols? I will hear him, and I will make him flourish like a green fir tree: from me is your fruit found. Who is wise, and he will understand these things? prudent, and he will know these things? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just will walk in them: but the transgressors will fall in them.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel – Luke vii. 36‒50
Praise be to you, O Christ.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, when she knew that He sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment; and standing behind at His feet, she began to wash His feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment. And the Pharisee, who had invited Him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: “This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that touches him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus answering, said to him: “Simon, I have somewhat to say to you.” But he said: “Master, say it.” “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 loves him most?” Simon answering, said: “I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.” And He said to him: “You have judged rightly.” And turning to the woman, He said to Simon: “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet; but she with tears has washed my feet, and with her hairs has wiped them. You gave me no kiss; but she, since she came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil you did not anoint; but she with ointment has anointed my feet. Wherefore I say to you: Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loves less.” And He said to her: “Your sins are forgiven.” And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves: “Who is this that forgives sins also?” And He said to the woman: “Your faith has made you safe, go in peace.”
