There is a profound lesson of mercy and compassion in the scriptures; in fact, everything that was written about the love of God is about God's unfathomable mercy. And in this sense, no less than the very incarnation of the Son of God, the becoming flesh and one among us of the Eternal Word of the Father is a testament of the mercy of God.
Today's gospel, the 5th Sunday of Lent, is no exception. Here, we find ourselves awed at the great mercy of God through Jesus Christ. A woman caught in the act of committing adultery, a crime according to the Law of Moses and punishable by death, was presented before Jesus by the Pharisees and the elders. They didn't bring the woman to Jesus in order to learn from him. They brought her as a trap. They want Jesus to disrespect the Mosaic Law and transgress against the Roman law, the law that punishes crimes during that time, so that they could accuse him and finally take him to the court. But Jesus knew of this trap.
With all simplicity, Jesus rose from writing in the ground and told the crowd: "he who has no sin cast the first stone." And we know what happened. None of the accusers or the bystanders casted a stone. Then to the woman, who was left alone with the One, who truly is without sin, received the mercy of God.
In the continuation of our Lenten reflection, let us dwell for a moment in the abyss of God's mercy. Sometimes, as human as we are, although sinners, we are quick to judge others. But the truth is, we are all unworthy to cast a stone. Jesus offers us forgiveness instead of judgement, and compassion instead of condemnation. AMEN.
Today's gospel, the 5th Sunday of Lent, is no exception. Here, we find ourselves awed at the great mercy of God through Jesus Christ. A woman caught in the act of committing adultery, a crime according to the Law of Moses and punishable by death, was presented before Jesus by the Pharisees and the elders. They didn't bring the woman to Jesus in order to learn from him. They brought her as a trap. They want Jesus to disrespect the Mosaic Law and transgress against the Roman law, the law that punishes crimes during that time, so that they could accuse him and finally take him to the court. But Jesus knew of this trap.
With all simplicity, Jesus rose from writing in the ground and told the crowd: "he who has no sin cast the first stone." And we know what happened. None of the accusers or the bystanders casted a stone. Then to the woman, who was left alone with the One, who truly is without sin, received the mercy of God.
In the continuation of our Lenten reflection, let us dwell for a moment in the abyss of God's mercy. Sometimes, as human as we are, although sinners, we are quick to judge others. But the truth is, we are all unworthy to cast a stone. Jesus offers us forgiveness instead of judgement, and compassion instead of condemnation. AMEN.
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