Monday, April 11, 2011

Read It:
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.”

Reflect on It: Today, we hear a very familiar story of the woman caught in adultery. Sometimes because we have heard this reading so many times, we glaze over it. The truth of the matter is that this gospel is chock full of the goodness. Here we have Jesus not condemning a woman for her sinfulness, but instead forgiving her. I like to think about what her life was like after this encounter. Her life much have been radically different after this encounter with the Lord. His mercy, his compassion, his willingness to forgive. This is what the Savior of the world brings to us. Not condemnation, but simply mercy. Jesus says to the crowd, let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. Christ is without sin, could have done that, but instead, he forgives, not condemns. Some scholars say that this woman was Mary Magdalene, others just say it was a woman. Regardless of who she is, she in so many ways represents each of us. Instead of condemnation, we seek forgiveness.

Pray about It: Lord, today I ask that you forgive my sinfulness, that like the woman at the well, you look upon me with compassion and see my need for mercy, not condemnation.

Live It! Challenge: Today, offer mercy instead of condemnation in something small (what someone is wearing, the way they speak etc) and offer a prayer for them.