A Midsummer's Reflection Series

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Meditation 17: Luke 7:36-50

Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), Arles, January 1889

In the Gospel of Luke 7:36–50 we find another account of the anointing of Jesus. Several unique details are included in this account: They are at a Pharisee’s house; and the woman who anoints Jesus is a “sinner” (7:37). There are perhaps three examples of hospitality shown here, but we also have the lesson of hospitality omitted. 

In one regard, the unnamed Pharisee provided a partial example of hospitality, like so many we find in the Gospels, in that he opened his home to Jesus. The Gospel of Luke informs us that “the Pharisee asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at table” (7:36).  

Another individual entered the scene: “a woman of the city, who was a sinner,” who “brought an alabaster flask of ointment” (7:37). This unnamed woman also offered Jesus hospitality of sorts, even though she did not invite Him into her home. Instead, as soon as she learned that Jesus was at the Pharisee’s home, she went to the house to anoint Jesus and wash his feet (7:37-38 and 44–46). In response to her kindness, Jesus offered her His own divine hospitality: He forgave her sins.  

We have another lesson within this story, and that can be found in Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisee who invited Him to dinner. Jesus contrasted the Pharisee’s hospitality with that of the woman: He did not give Jesus any water for His feet, but she has washed His feet; he did not offer Jesus a kiss of greeting, but she has kissed His feet; he did not anoint Jesus, but she has anointed His feet (7:44–46). Jesus then went on to explain the omissions as due in part to the fact that the one who is forgiven more loves all the more.  

Lord, help us to recognize how great a debt of love we owe you. Help us to recognize how much we’ve been forgiven, so that we can have gratitude to match the gift. Help us to include all the little details of hospitality when we offer it to others out of love for neighbor and out of love for you. 

Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, Ph.D. is a professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and the Director of the St. Paul Studies Center at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He spent 15 years as a professor of theology at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. In his final year in that role, Dr. Morrow worked on the Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program, writing these reflections on Scripture through a lens of hospitality. 

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