Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent, March 23, 2026

Gospel

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

This Gospel forces us to confront something uncomfortable... our tendency to judge others while overlooking our own faults. Jesus says, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” this line is powerful because it reminds us to first look at ourselves before casting judgement. The crowd and Pharisees were ready to condemn the woman, but Jesus makes them self-reflect. They leave not because the woman is innocent, but because they recognize that they are not.

This is not to say that Jesus denies the seriousness of the woman’s sin. He doesn’t say what she did was okay. Instead, He refuses to let her be reduced to her worst moment. Jesus shows us that accountability does not have to come with humiliation, and correction does not require cruelty. He offers her compassion, but also calls her to change. Which incredibly is the very same thing he offers to all of us every time we receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Conversely, the scribes and Pharisees are more concerned with publicly ostracizing the woman, using her as a tool to trap Jesus while elevating themselves, rather than showing mercy. Their actions reveal how easily pride and a sense of superiority can hide behind the appearance of righteousness.

This Gospel relates to our own lives today. It is all too easy to point out where others fall short, but Jesus challenges that mindset. Before we “throw stones,” we are called to look inward. How often do we excuse our own behavior while being harsh on others? This Gospel reminds us that humility must come before judgment and compassion before correction.