30-Mar-20

Gospel JN 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,

and all the people started coming to him,

and he sat down and taught them.

Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman

who had been caught in adultery

and made her stand in the middle.

They said to him,

“Teacher, this woman was caught

in the very act of committing adultery.

Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.

So what do you say?”

They said this to test him,

so that they could have some charge to bring against him.

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.

But when they continued asking him,

he straightened up and said to them,

“Let the one among you who is without sin

be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.

And in response, they went away one by one,

beginning with the elders.

So he was left alone with the woman before him.

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,

“Woman, where are they?

Has no one condemned you?”

She replied, “No one, sir.”

Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.

Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Reflection

“Let the one among you who is without sin

be the first to throw a stone at her.”

How quick we can see the splinter in someone else’s eye but are unwilling to look at the plank in our own eye.

Too often we forget: We cannot make spiritual progress by examining the faults of others. There is no “you” in “self” examination.

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,

“Woman, where are they?

Has no one condemned you?

Condemnation separates us but mercy unites us in the love of God.

She replied, “No one, sir.”

Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.

Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Jesus invites us to lay down the stones of judgment and sow seeds of forgiveness.

“……..first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”  Matthew 7:5