In the gospel this weekend we have an encounter among Jesus, a woman caught in adultery, and those who are testing Jesus to her harm. This account is well known, but most early manuscripts do not include it. Remarkably, this powerful story was so loved that it nonetheless found a home in the Canon of the scriptures. Audiences of all times now experience this story of merciful wisdom and compassion.
The scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman before Jesus as if she was standing trial, as if they caught her in the very act of adultery, a crime that was punishable by stoning to death, demanding that Jesus render the judgment --- but John confirms that Jesus too is on trial. The fact that they do not show any interest in the woman's partner shows that justice is of little concern to the people. Jesus bends down and writes in the sand. Up until this point Jesus’s words flowed freely but at this time He now refuses to speak, perhaps indicating that they're not asking the right question. Jesus then responds with His encouragement to the one among them without sin to throw the first stone and then returns to His writing in silence. One by one, the crowd disperses.
The woman stands before Jesus alone. He asserts her autonomy as one who makes her own decisions and has her own relationship with God, and then he sends her away with the command to change her ways accordingly. Does this mean that Jesus approves of her choices? By no means. But it does mean that He forgives and gives her the direction not to do it again.
The public humiliation of the woman caught in adultery by the “righteous” of her time is mirrored in the public finger-pointing in our own day. So many people are publicly criticized for what some perceive as sin. Our culture seems titillated by the “sins of others.” But it seems that Jesus recognizes the complexity of situations. Perhaps he was wondering why the woman's accomplice was not dragged before him, since obviously there were two “caught in the act.” It's obvious that Jesus points out the hypocrisy of it all. During Lent, challenge yourself to recognize the complexity of other people's lives. Allow yourself to recognize the deeper sinfulness of our society, which seeks the humiliation of other people to satisfy our own sense of self-righteousness.
Then maybe, if you are honest, you might realize that we are all members of the crowd: sinners. Our church, along with others in the area, offers the Sacrament of Penance, and this week provides the best opportunity to receive its grace. As we continue on this journey through Lent, this is a perfect time to reflect and receive the grace of the Sacrament. Please consider attending one of the following times.
- Monday, 7:00 p.m. | Penance Service at Sacred Heart in Tonganoxie (3 priests)
- Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. | Penance Service at Holy Family in Eudora (3 priests)
- Wednesday, 6:00p.m. | Individual Confessions at Corpus Christi (With Fr. Jerry)
- Thursday, 6:30 p.m. | Penance Service at Corpus Christi (7 priests)
- Friday, 6:30 p.m. | Penance Service at Annunciation in Baldwin City (3 priests)
- Saturday, April 12, 3:00 p.m.–4:15 p.m. | Individual Confession (Last scheduled confessions before Easter)
God Bless,
