Luke 7:50 (WEB)
He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Catechism · 1
“Contemplative prayer is the prayer of the child of God, of the forgiven sinner who agrees to welcome the love by which he is loved and who wants to respond to it by loving even more.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 7:36-50; 19:1-10.
Fathers and councils · 38
Augustine of Hippo
“But my theory is, that it was the same Mary who did this deed on two separate occasions, the one being that which Luke has put on record, when she approached Him first of all in that remarkable humility, and with those tears, and obtained the forgiveness of her sins.” — editor's note: Luke vii. 36–50. [This identification of Mary of Bethany with the woman spoken of by Luke is part of the process by which the latter is assumed to be Mary…
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Tertullian
“…a sinner,” when she covered the Lord’s feet with her kisses, bathed them with her tears, wiped them with the hairs of her head, anointed them with ointment, produced an evidence that what she handled was not an empty phantom, but a really solid body, and that her repentance as a sinner deserved forgiveness…” — editor's note: Luke vii. 36–50.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
Having said just before, And the people that heard him justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John, the same Evangelist builds up in deed what he had proposed in word, namely, wisdom justified by the…
Read the whole comment - Gregory of NyssaCatena Aurea on Luke
This account is full of precious instruction. For there are very many who justify themselves, being puffed up with the dreamings of an idle fancy, who before the time of judgment comes, separate themselves as lambs…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
A woman of corrupt life, but testifying her faithful affection, comes to Christ, as having power to release her from every fault, and to grant her pardon for the crimes she had committed. For it follows, And behold a…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
Alabaster is a kind of white marble tinged with various colours, which is generally used for vessels holding ointment, because it is said to be the best sort for preserving the ointment sweet.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
For this woman, beholding the spots of her shame, ran to wash them at the fountain of mercy, and blushed not at seeing the guests, for since she was courageously ashamed of herself within, she thought there was…
Read the whole comment - Gregory of NyssaCatena Aurea on Luke
But to mark her own unworthiness, she stands behind with downcast eyes, and with her hair thrown about embraces His feet, and washing them with her tears, betokened a mind distressed at her state, and imploring…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
For her eyes which once coveted after earthly things, she was now wearing out with penitential weeping. She once displayed her hair for the setting off of her face, she now wiped her tears with her hair. As it…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
Thus the harlot became then more honourable than the virgins. For no sooner was she inflamed with penitence, than she burst forth in love for Christ. And these things indeed which have been spoken of were done…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But the Pharisee beholding these things despises them, and finds fault, not only with the woman who was a sinner, but with the Lord who received her, as it follows, Now when the Pharisee who had bidden him saw it, he…
Read the whole comment - Titus of BostraCatena Aurea on Luke
But the Lord not hearing his words, but perceiving his thoughts, shewed Himself to be the Lord of Prophets, as it follows, And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have something to say unto thee.
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Luke
And this indeed He spake in answer to his thoughts; and the Pharisee was made more attentive by these words of our Lord, as it is said, And he saith, Master, say on.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
A parable concerning two debtors is opposed to him, of whom the one owed more, the other less; as it follows, There was a certain creditor which had two debtors, &c.
Read the whole comment - Titus of BostraCatena Aurea on Luke
As if He said, Nor art thou without debts. What then! If thou art involved in fewer debts, boast not thyself, for thou art still in need of pardon. Then He goes on to speak of pardon, And when they had nothing to…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Luke
For no one can of himself escape the debt of sin, but only by obtaining pardon through the grace of God.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But both debtors being forgiven, the Pharisee is asked which most loved the forgiver of the debts. For it follows, Who then will love him most? To which he at once answers, I suppose, that he to whom he forgave most.…
Read the whole comment - Titus of BostraCatena Aurea on Luke
As if He said, To provide water is easy, to pour forth tears is not easy. Thou hast not provided even what was at hand, she hath poured forth what was not at hand; for washing my feet with her tears, she washed away…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
But as after the breaking of a violent storm there comes a calm, so when tears have burst forth, there is peace, and gloomy thoughts vanish; and as by water and the Spirit, so by tears and confession we are again…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
The more then the heart of the sinner is burnt up by the great fire of charity, so much the more is the rust of sin consumed.
Read the whole comment - Titus of BostraCatena Aurea on Luke
But it more frequently happens that he who has sinned much is purified by confession, but he who has sinned little, refuses from pride to come to be healed thereby. Hence it follows, But to whom little is forgiven,…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
We have need then of a fervent spirit, for nothing hinders a man from becoming great. Let then no sinner despair, no virtuous man fall asleep; neither let the one be self-confident, for often the harlot shall go…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
Behold she who had come sick to the Physician was healed, but because of her safety others are still sick; for it follows, And they that sat at meat began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Luke
But after having forgiven her sins, He stops not at the forgiveness of sins, but adds good works, as it follows, Go in peace, i. e. in righteousness, for righteousness is the reconciliation of man to God, as sin is…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Now in this place many seem to be perplexed with the question, whether the Evangelists do not appear to have differed concerning the faith.
Read the whole comment - A Greek expositorCatena Aurea on Luke
For since the four Evangelists relate that Christ was anointed with ointment by a woman, I think that there were three women, differing according to the quality of each, their mode of action, and the difference of…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Matthew has introduced this woman as pouring ointment upon the head of Christ, and was therefore unwilling to call her a sinner, for the sinner, according to Luke, poured ointment upon the feet of Christ. She cannot…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Luke
For I think we must understand that the same Mary did this twice, once indeed as Luke has related, when at first coming with humility and weeping, she was thought worthy to receive forgiveness of sins. Hence John,…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
Now in a mystical sense the Pharisee, presuming upon his pretended righteousness, is the Jewish people; the woman who was a sinner, but who came and wept at our Lord’s feet, represents the conversion of the Gentiles.
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Or, the leper, is the prince of this world; the house of Simon the leper, is the earth. The Lord therefore descended from the higher parts to this earth; for this woman could not have been healed, who bears the…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
What else is expressed by the ointment, but the sweet savour of a good report? If then we do good works by which we may sprinkle the Church with the sweet odour of a good report, what else do we but pour ointment…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Bring thou also repentance after sin. Wherever thou hearest the name of Christ, speed thither; into whatever house thou knowest that Jesus has entered, thither hasten; when thou findest wisdom, when thou findest…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
For we water the feet of our Lord with tears if we are moved with compassion to any even the lowest members of our Lord. We wipe our Lord’s feet with our hair, when we shew pity to His saints (with whom we suffer in…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Throw about thy hair, scatter before Him all the graces of thy body. The hair is not to be despised which can wash the feet of Christ.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
The woman kisses the feet which she has wiped. This also we fully do when we ardently love those whom we maintain by our bounty. By the feet also may be understood the mystery itself of the Incarnation. We then kiss…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
But she is of no slight merit of whom it is said, From the time that she entered has not ceased to kiss my feet, so that she knew not to speak aught but wisdom, to love aught but justice, to touch aught but chastity,…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But it is said to the Pharisee, My head with oil thou didst not anoint, for the very power even of Divinity on which the Jewish people professed to believe, he neglects to celebrate with due praise. But she hath…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Blessed is he even who can anoint with oil the feet of Christ, but more blessed is he who anoints with ointment, for the essence of many flowers blended into one, scatters the sweets of various odours. And perhaps no…
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