Cycle A - Cycle B - Cycle C
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:8-14
John 8:1-11
We are quick to condemn the sins of others, but we need to remember that we are sinful ourselves. Jesus today challenges us to look at ourselves before we start taking other's inventory. How are we living our lives? Jesus is also calling us to be compassionate. We are all human and so we are all equal in our ability to sin. If we had nothing else in common, sin would be the only thing that all of us would share in. It's part of our reality.
Who are we in today's gospel? Are we the one caught in sin? Are we part of the crowd, which so easily points out the sins of another? Or are we like Jesus? Jesus makes the crowds realize that they are really no better than the woman caught in adultery. Who are they - who are we - to judge another? They were as guilty of sin as she was at one point or another. After the crowd leaves, Jesus and the woman remain. Jesus, the only one who would be in a position to condemn this woman, lets her go without a word of rebuke or criticism; just a call to repent. Our Lord does not give her a lecture on why she should not sin or even tell her what constitutes a sin. She does not need that. She knows - as we all know - the pain, conflict and confusion that sin brings into our lives. The woman needs mercy. She needs love. We all do. And these are the things Jesus gives her; these are the things Jesus offers to us. This offer is what we will be celebrating when we gather during Holy Week and Easter. Are we ready, as Lent quickly draws to a close, to accept the offer? Will we wander away with the self-righteous crowd, or will we be the one caught in sin who remains with Jesus?
Peace,
Shaun Lowery
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