Luke 7:47  I tell you that her many sins are forgiven, so she showed great love. But the person who is forgiven only a little will love only a little.”

Just reflecting on the various  biblical accounts of Jesus' encounter with purported "sinners" - this woman at the well, the weeping woman at the house of Simon, the Pharisee, Zacchaeus, the woman caught for adultery, Simon Peter himself... left me realising that for God, any encounter with humanity is an opportunity to invite them to be God's ambassador of good will. God sees in every human being, the potential of becoming God's hands, feet and mouthpiece; an instrument of God's peace and compassion. God never sees it as an encounter between a sinner and saint. It is us human beings, overwhelmed and always highly conscious of our "sinfulness" and therefore our "unworthiness" that causes us to say, "Away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." God sees none of that - our sinfulness is the least of God's concern - instead, God joyfully sees another one of His beloved creation who might (because God never forces) be willing to be sent to continue God's salvific work in the world. Our unquenchable thirst for love and meaning in life is proof of this invitation; an invitation once accepted, will lead us to find the inner wellspring of our existence who is none other than God Himself. Let us not be put off by our sinfulness, but ask for the divine perspective of every human-divine encounter: a meeting of the creator and creature, lover and the beloved, friend and friend. And the great adventure that both are about to embark on. 

Fr Alvin Ng sj