I have discovered channel 116 on cable TV recently. It is the cooking channel where all different kinds of chefs and experts about food and nutrition are presented. One of my favorite programs is the Iron Chef competition. Let’s just say it is more amusing to watch than to learn anything from — Ever see one of those old black and white Godzilla movies dubbed into English? The Iron Chef program is just like this and is quite funny to listen to as the judges comment on the process of how each chef makes the entrees as well as the judges musings when they actually taste test the meal!

Before the Iron Chef and channel 116, I had a habit of watching "Trauma — Life In the ER" or "The Operation on TLC" right before bed, is when I discovered channel 116, my dreams turned from images of blood, bone and stitches to desserts, spatulas, and Emeril Locossi’s famous words, "BAM" and "Let’s kick it up a notch!"

Have you seen Emeril’s cooking show yet? Actually, I saw him on Good Morning America the other day and he was making a chocolate flourless cake with a chocolate gouache poured over the top and then a layer of fruit on top of that. As he was finishing laying the sugar coated raspberries on top of this cake, he says, "Let’s kick it up a notch" and he brings out the powdered sugar and as he dramatically ( and all in one flinch of the fingers) sprinkles the powered sugar on the top of the cake and the whole audience says with him, "BAM". And the cake is somehow transformed!

"BAM" — it is Emeril’s way of saying, "Wait a minute, something’s missing"; "BAM" — It’s Emeril’s way of providing a dramatic point in his teaching; "BAM" — it is Emeril’s way of saying, "I’ve got some way or something different to do than the usual way of thinking about this dish." "BAM" just makes the cake taste better, makes cooking more fun, and gets the simple points of cooking across in a powerful way!

In his interaction with Simon the Pharisee in our Gospel reading today, Jesus kicks his teaching up a notch. Just when Simon is feeling pretty darn good about himself and his the way his dinner party is going, Jesus says, "Simon, I have something to say to you — BAM!"

Have you ever had someone say to you, "We need to talk" or, kids, have your parents ever made an appointment with you to talk about "issues" or maybe you have been on the phone and the other person has something to tell you, but first says, "Maybe you should sit down for this one" — "BAM!" Whether it is "We’re getting married" or parents trying to get through the sex talk or a spouse saying, "I want a divorce" — whether something is exciting news or devastating news — when someone says, "I have something to tell you", you might as well get ready for the . . . "BAM".

So here we have the "BAM" as Jesus explains to Simon his "high horsed" host that this sinful woman is a way better host than he is! — BAM!

In Simon’s mind, he can only think of the legalistic laws as this woman walks into his house — this woman is unclean and a sinner and is touching Jesus —which now makes him unclean and not fit to have dinner with; This woman’s hair is NOT tied up in tidy manner; This woman’s mascara is running down her face and making her look like a tramp; This woman’s lips are covered in red and now Jesus’ feet are smeared with faint red spots where she has kissed his feet. All Simon could think about was that it was an outrage for her to come into his party and crash his respectable and controlled dinner experience.

I wand you to notice that in verse 39 our scripture lesson says that Simon didn’t even say these things out loud, but was thinking these things to himself when Jesus says the dreaded. "I have something to tell you." We know Simon is in for a big "BAM" because of this!

How many of us have made quick judgments, only to find ourselves in a "BAM" moment? I had this to happen to me while I was on the Miami Mission Trip. One morning, I had to drive from the Habitat site to the First Spanish Presbyterian Church so I could speak with the school children and youth at their chapel time. I left an hour early because it was rush hour in Miami and I really didn’t know exactly how to get to the church from our Habitat site. I did manage to get on the correct highway, but after a while I knew I was going in the wrong direction. And of course, there were no exit streets for what seemed like forever and when I did manage to exit, it was onto another major interstate taking me very much away from where I needed to go! I finally found an exit and pulled into a local Seven-Eleven. I got out and stood in line. Ahead of me was a guy who looked like he just got out of bed with messed up hair and a scraggily beard and he had a can of beer in his hand to buy at 8:30 in the morning. I quietly said to myself, "What a bum." When my turn came, I got out my map and asked the cashier for directions and she, of course, was clueless! But the "bum" in front of me, who was now to my right and near the door, sensed my panic and knew exactly where I needed to go and was very helpful in giving me great landmarks to look for and straightforward directions to follow. — "BAM" - As I walked to the car, I thanked this man for his help and thanked God forgiving me this "learning lesson" in judgment!

So many times in life, we blow up the negatives and the bad sides of people and situations while the good is staring us in the face! I could have been on my way a lot sooner had I been able to see the man in front of me not as a "bum" but a potential direction giver. Simon could have had a more interesting and fun party had he seen the woman’s action to Jesus as loving and extremely generous instead of clumsy and sinful. What would have happened if Simon would have just invited her to the table as a guest?

I wonder, if after Jesus explained to Simon how this woman’s actions were actually more gracious and generous than HIS hosting abilities, did Simon "get it"? Did he actually feel the "BAM" and was he changed by it? You can bet this woman felt the "BAM" as Jesus says "your faith has saved you . . . go in peace." As one movie clip states, "your life can start anytime and anyplace." For this woman, it started anew right at that party. Do we "Get it"? Are we ready to "kick it up a notch" in serving others, or forgiving others or affirming others or sharing our faith or demonstrating grace? Are we ready to have this day as the start of a real meaning life? Jesus has something to tell all of us — Are we ready for the "BAM" experience? Alleluia! Amen!