The passage from 1 Corinthians is the oldest creed or confession of faith that we have in the New Testament. Paul reminded his followers that this is the faith that saves us - faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is the source of our hope and it gives meaning to our life. When we forget that or don't understand it as we should we begin to stray from the Lord's path. The resurrection of Jesus will become our own resurrection, but we must lead a life that is worthy of that gift. There are no shortcuts!

Forgiveness is incredibly powerful. When we forgive someone, we are set free and are able to love fully. The same thing happens when we are forgiven. It was obvious that the woman in the story was forgiven because she acted in such a loving and humble manner towards Jesus. The point of the story: don't judge another person. Exercise mercy and compassion. So often we keep resentment, anger, and hurt locked up in our hearts and refuse to let go. Guilt and shame for our own sins can imprison us. In either case, we are prevented from loving as we should and being as happy as we could be. Forgiveness is the answer for so much in our own lives, as well as for the world. So much of the hatred and violence we experience could be healed by forgiveness and humility on all sides.