Luke tells us the story of a Pharisee, named Simon, who invited Jesus to dinner at his house. As a Pharisee he kept himself ritually clean. A woman in the city who was known as a sinner, brought an alabaster jar of ointment to the house and began to weep and to wash his feet with her tears and dry them with her hair. She continued to kiss his feet and to anoint them with the ointment. Simon couldn't believe that Jesus would allow a woman who was not ritually clean to touch him.
Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." – Luke 7:44-50
Yes, the woman gave Jesus the Best of Rooms. She opened her heart (the alabaster jar) and poured out the costly ointment (her very soul) on the feet of Jesus. Compare this to Simon. He invited Jesus to his house, yet he failed to perform the simplest acts of hospitality. As a matter of fact, he began questioning Jesus' credentials. He gave Jesus the Worst of Rooms.
Who received the greatest forgiveness? It was not Simon. After all, in his mind, he needed no forgiveness. He was already clean. The woman, who knew how much she needed Jesus' love, had all her sins forgiven. She poured out her love on Jesus and he poured out his love on her.
Simon did not understand. The other guests did not understand. Even Jesus' disciples did not understand. None of them had opened their very souls to the love of Jesus. Instead, they plotted to destroy him. Do you and I understand? If we open our hearts and give Jesus the very Best of Rooms, and pour out our very souls to him, we too will know the joy of forgiveness that comes through the agape love that Jesus poured out on the cross.
Prayer: Creator God, we thank you for not abandoning us to our own humanity. You sent us Jesus who came to show us a better way. Jesus came to visit us and we gave you a dirty stable for his birth. He gave his love to all he met, yet we gave him a cross. Forgive us, Father, for not inviting him in to the Best of Rooms. Come into our hearts, Lord Jesus. Amen.