A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 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: “Neither do I condemn you.Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
The best way to read and understand the Gospel is to apply it to our own personal life;
not someone else's life but our own. So how does adultery apply to me?
We are more intolerant of people who do things that we would never do; yet if someone is guilty of what we do, we are more caring and more aware of their fragility.
We can project frustration when we see ourselves in others. One person's sin is my potential sin. My own infidelity preferring other gods to God is a break from His love.
We are all sinners: all dealing with our own demons. Each one of us presents to God as weak and frail. But we have to name our demons in order to be healed. We have to name our sins, whether they be drugs, cigarettes, food, laziness, envy, pride, cheating, complaining, jealousy and gossip to name a few. God knows the truth. He knows what really happens.
We have to untangle our life. God will see us through all our problems as long as we realize our sin and what it does to our relationship with God. God is merciful and if we are repentant, God will forgive us without condemnation.
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