Today, Maw made a Chinese parishoner cry. The woman had cut in front of their car. Both wanted to take the left lane, which is marked by orange cones to separate those parents who are dropping off their children to school towards the right lane.
The woman’s action scared Maw, who was shaking. In her usual abrassive and loud voice, Maw confronted the woman. Maw never used nasty, hurtfuly words around people or her family. It’s the loudness and directness that takes people off guard. They in turn misunderstand the Maw’s action as a fight. Idiots.
Anyway, the woman was on the defense and tried to calm Maw down by reaching out her hand since the situation was in the parking lot and in front of the church. But Maw was trying to explain the situation of being more courteous next time. Paw backed Maw up about courtesy. I had to point out that she had parked her gray-colored, mini-SUV crooked. The right rear tire was over the white marker.
So the Chinese wanted to hug Maw. Both did. The Chinese cried and said she was sorry for scaring her. Earlier, I tried to block the two from touching each other by holdng my hands together in front my forehead and chest several times. That worked until they hugged. Poi was there to tell the woman it’s a bad habit to cut in front of people and to be in a hurry.
Later inside the church, Maw pointed out (with my help) our name placard of donation for a Pew. Fred (the usher) walked in and I told him Maw made her cry and shared with him how I was feeling sad the past few days and how I cry one day prior to that monthly thing, even though it’s not a full moon. The poor lady was left to dry her tears near the dedication of donations.
We sat ourselves in the frontmost pew and today’s gospel was from:
Luke 7:36-50
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10 11 A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
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Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
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she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
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When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
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Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
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“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages 12 and the other owed fifty.
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Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?”
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Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
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Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
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You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
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You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment.
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So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. 13 But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
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He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
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The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
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But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
The above exemplar is meant to show us why today’s encounter is yet another MESSAGE for me and why certain people are brought together: To learn hard lessons in life from hard teachers/masters. And as sinners, we too must ask forgiveness. As for that debt, I don’t care anymore. You’re forgiven Pete. I hate you.
Addendum-Last edited by FLYNN on 20100916 at 08:52:21 am: The woman’s parents are Chinese but the family lived in the Philippines. Plus, she could speak a little Filipino language. I had to point out how Paw looked like someone from Hong Kong. She looks dark-skinned and more like a Filipino.