In today's Gospel, Jesus was invited to dine at the home of Simeon. Luke records how a woman of the streets provided the amenities neglected by the host. She bathed the Lord's feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, continued to kiss them and anoint them with ointment.

On seeing this Simeon thought, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of a woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner." In defense of her, Jesus told him: "…her many sins are forgiven her, hence, she has shown great love."

Jesus forgave all of our sins once and for all when he died on the cross and offered to reconcile us with the Father. So for example, today if a person separates himself from the Lord by some sinful action, God already has forgiven him. However, since we are free, God's forgiveness is ineffective until that person who sins accepts the forgiveness by turning back to the Lord.

The sinful woman turned back to God by her great love. The Good Thief did it by asking Jesus to "Remember me." A few ways we turn back to the Lord are by our contrition or by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. God always forgives. Our only part of the action consists in accepting or rejecting His forgiveness. Our necessary response is to accept the forgiveness by turning back to Him in love.