Posted: 3/17/2010 6:24:47 PM EDT
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Sunday, March 21, 2010
Readings and Commentary First Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21 16. Thus says the Lord, who gave you a way through the sea and a path through the torrent of waters, 17. who led out the chariot and the horse, the column of robust troops. They went to sleep together, and they will not arise. They have been crushed like flax, and they have been extinguished. 18. You need not call to mind the past, nor consider the things of antiquity. 19. Behold, I am accomplishing new things. And presently, they will spring forth. With certainty, you will know them. I will make a way in the desert, and rivers in an impassible place. 20. The wild beasts of the field will glorify me, with the serpents and the ostriches. For I have brought waters to the desert, rivers to inaccessible places, in order to give drink to my people, to my elect. 21. This is the people whom I have formed for myself. They will speak my praise. Second Reading: Philippians 3:8-14 8. Brothers and Sisters: Yet truly, I consider everything to be a loss, because of the preeminent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of everything, considering it all to be like dung, so that I may gain Christ, 9. and so that you may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, the justice within faith, which is of God. 10. So shall I know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his Passion, having been fashioned according to his death, 11. if, by some means, I might attain to the resurrection which is from the dead. 12. It is not as though I have already received this, or were already perfect. But rather I pursue, so that by some means I might attain, that in which I have already been attained by Christ Jesus. 13. Brothers, I do not consider that I have already attained this. Instead, I do one thing: forgetting those things that are behind, and extending myself toward those things that are ahead, 14. I pursue the destination, the prize of the heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus. Gospel: John 8:1-11 1. But Jesus continued on to the Mount of Olives. 2. And early in the morning, he went again to the temple; and all the people came to him. And sitting down, he taught them. 3. Now the scribes and Pharisees brought forward a woman caught in adultery, and they stood her in front of them. 4. And they said to him: “Teacher, this woman was just now caught in adultery. 5. And in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such a one. Therefore, what do you say?” 6. But they were saying this to test him, so that they might be able to accuse him. Then Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the earth. 7. And then, when they persevered in questioning him, he stood upright and said to them, “Let whoever is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8. And bending down again, he wrote on the earth. 9. But upon hearing this, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, with the woman standing in front of him. 10. Then Jesus, raising himself up, said to her: “Woman, where are those who accused you? Has no one condemned you?” 11. And she said, “No one, Lord.” Then Jesus said: “Neither will I condemn you. Go, and now do not choose to sin anymore.” More Study Resources and CCC References Overview of the Gospel: * Some ancient manuscripts of John omit the episode we see in this Sunday’s Gospel reading, while some place it elsewhere in John’s Gospel or in Luke. It has been defined by the Church as canonical and thus inspired Scripture. * The setting is the Jerusalem temple during the Jewish feast of Tabernacles (or Booths), a harvest feast occurring in September which recalled God’s providence to Israel during their forty years of wandering in the desert. During the seven days of the feast, Jews would build and live in small tents, or booths, to commemorate that time. * Jesus’ opponents bring before him a woman who they say has been caught in the act of adultery. They demand a judgment from him, not because they respect his opinion, but as a device to trap him. If he tells them to stone her, he would be liable to Roman law which reserved the death penalty to itself (see John 18:31). If he orders them to let her go, he will be seen as condoning sin and going against Moses (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:23-24). * Jesus chooses neither option, instead skillfully turning the question back on his accusers while at the same time demonstrating both mercy and justice. Questions: * How is this situation a trap for Jesus? What would the Pharisees accuse Jesus of if he told them to let her go? If he told them to stone her? How does he spring the trap (verse 7)? * How would the woman just caught in adultery have felt? What was the significance of Jesus’ question in verse 10? * How does Jesus’ response to the woman exemplify “grace and truth” (John 1:17)? How does Jesus demonstrate by his words and actions that God is doing a “new thing” with the coming of the kingdom (see the First Reading)? * How does the way Jesus treated this woman help you face your sins? * Jesus accepts you “as is.” Does that free you to change, or does it support your bad behavior? How so? What can you learn from Jesus about helping a friend who has fallen? |
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Amen! Thank you, dear Sister!
If you have the time, read and if you're so moved, jump right in! Jesus accepts you “as is.” Does that free you to change, or does it support your bad behavior? How so? What can you learn from Jesus about helping a friend who has fallen? 
Stone, stones, stoning, rock, hard,..... Images! Images! Look what we have here: a poor fallen soul among those who considered themselves to be "righteous and just." Notice in this picture above, the hard "grip" on the sinner of the helmeted soldier right behind Jesus. To me that is showing "man's" power and authority here on earth. And what is their judgment and verdict: it's their inflexible and fallen human nature decision: Their "LAW" says: "put her to death." The law was quite literally written in stone, the 10 Commandments. And so they resort to the cold stoning as the way of death. This was back in the days of very public executions. The whole town might turn out to watch such a macabre "theatre of death." But, what does Jesus do? They had set a trap for him: if he says "Let her go," then he is sanctioning sin. If he let's the mob stone her, he runs afoul of the occupying Romans, who they alone could only issue a death sentence. Jesus bends down and writes in the sand! (sand, a very amorphous substance: not stone, and not clay. It's very hard to contain just like our Lord's boundless mercy). From the Greek translation of the Bible, the word used right here is that Jesus: "katagraphein." It means "to write down against someone; to indict." But––notice where Jesus wrote this "indictment"––in the shifting and spreading sand. Jesus did not write down any charge or indictment "in stone" or on his heart. Remember scripture's admonition: "I will break their hearts of stone." He also said nothing throughout his writing in the sand. Was Jesus writing an "indictment" against the Scribes and Pharisees for their stone-like cold heartedness? Ah! to see what Jesus had wrote! And Jesus offers his solution: whoever had no sin, make a judgment. Men, steeped in sin, have no option. They fall away. Our Lord, perfect in everyway and without sin, makes no judgment! He says freely and openly that he does not condemn the woman. His heart is full of love for his fallen child. He bids her go on her way––(and again, showing us our free will)––do not choose to sin any more! "I love ya, girl!! Remember what I told you!" How can anyone let their Heavenly Father down after this? Imagine what has just happened here in pre-radio, TV, blackberry, ipod days! A condemned prisoner quite literally on "death row," and a whisker away from death (and an extremely painful execution), but the Judge of all Judges issues a "stay order!" Not only that––the Supreme Judge of the Universe gives her a "get out of jail" pass! WOW! No wonder "the legal establishment" was against him. He completely upset their game of judgment, punishment and strict obediance to "stone-cold laws!" Their "legal industry" just got tossed on its head! Thank you, Lord Jesus, for forgiving my sins when I seek true reconcilliation. As you have told us, you did not come for condemnation, but for mercy and forgiveness. How can I even think about letting you down! When I see your love for me, your forgiving arms––I will try my best to do better! |