Daily Inspiration

“A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 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, 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. 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.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 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. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” -Luke 7:36-50
 
Like the sinful woman, because of my sins, I have cried mournfully in Christ’s presence. I wrote about it in my second book, “The Triumph of the Cross.” Enjoy this short excerpt.

“...I was weeping uncontrollably as a stream of tears poured from my eyes and obstructed my view. There lived within me immense remorse and sorrow, much like what I experienced in that place of eternal misery inside the Red Room. Embedded within that sorrow was a love unlike any other on Earth. 

It reminded me of the joy and peace I felt in the Presence of the Holy Spirit. I could hear a mournful wailing issuing from my mouth, yet I never paused to breathe. The sorrowful cry continued uninterrupted.

…before us stood a woman in a white dress covered with a deep blue robe. I knew her to be the Blessed Mother, Mary. Her form was obscured of fine detail due to my excessive tears...  

She spoke to me and said, “This is what it is when one’s soul is exposed to Our Lord Jesus, the Christ. You cannot help but weep a veil of tears when in His presence…”
 
Saint Januarius, pray for us.
 
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Jesus, I trust in you.