Gospel: Jn 8:1–11
As for Jesus, he went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak Jesus appeared in the temple again. All the people came to him,
and he sat down and began to teach them. Then the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had
been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone. “Master,” they said, “this woman has been
caught in the act of adultery. Now the Law of Moses orders that such women be stoned to death; but you, what do you say?” They
said this to test Jesus, in order to have some charge against him. Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his
finger. And as they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, “Letanyone among you who has no sin be the
first to throw a stone at her.” And he bent down, again, writing on the ground. As a result of these words, they went
away, one by one, starting with the elders, and Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing before him. Then Jesus stood up
and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I
condemn you; go away and don’t sin again.”
Reflection:
It is sad that sometimes we use the laws of our faith not to lead people to
good but to oppress and bring them to their downfall. This manipulation of laws
ordered towards the good of humankind is a great disservice to God. Take for
example our gospel today. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees want to punish the
adulterous woman while at the same time compromising the Lord. If He consents to the
punishment of the woman, He runs counter to His message of love. If He allows the woman
to go scot free, He violates the Law of their faith. What is at trial here is not Jesus but love.
And it was love that saves the day. Jesus asks the people to evaluate themselves if
they are truly righteous and go ahead and punish the woman. He brought them
to confront themselves. That is why, one by one they left. The sinful woman is a
miniature of each and every one of them. This solidarity in sinning is what brought them
back to their senses. If they condemn the woman, they are condemning themselves.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2021