Luke 7:36-50 and Matthew 25:35-40
Simon and some Pharisees host a dinner for Jesus and unexpected guest arrives: a woman fromt he city who kneels at Jesus' feet and washes him with expensive perfume. Simon scoffs at this party foul, but Jesus reorients his focus, asking him to truly see the woman and recognize that she has shown "great love," offering the tender hospitality he was not granted when he entered Simon's hime. The woman with the alabster jar shows a shocking, extravagant love that exemplifies the greatest commandment: to love God with all your hear, soul, mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Will the other guests see that loving God goes hand in hand with loving neighbor? We've paired this story with Jesus' words in Matthew 25. When we care for the hungry, the naked, the imprisoned—each of whom are created in the image of God—we are showing love for God, too.
