Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Gospel Reading: 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 anymore."

How easy is it for us to find fault in others and to condemn them for their sins. Today’s Gospel reading is about forgiveness and compassion. We hear the story about the lady who was caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees wanted to stone her as it was written in the Mosaic law. But Jesus replies, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The Pharisees begin to reflect on their own conscience and realize that they too are not free from sin. The Pharisees left one by one leaving only Jesus and the woman behind. Jesus asks her, “Has no one condemned you?” And she replies, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” How many times do we walk in the shoes of the Pharisees; quick to judge and condemn and extremely resistant to forgive. Jesus is telling the Pharisees it is okay to judge, but only if you are without sin. It is so easy for us to find fault in others, to find those things that they do wrong. When we find fault in others, we should use that opportunity to look inward, to determine what sins rest on our own souls.

Adultery was a very serious crime in the days of Jesus yet He does not condemn her. He does not even judge her. Instead He gives her a simple commandment, “go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” Jesus could have condemned her for her actions, but instead, He forgives her. The grace of forgiveness is much greater than condemnation. Forgiveness causes us to reflect on our own sinfulness. When we forgive, we reach out to others to help release them from the bonds that hold them to their earthly desires. Forgiveness and condemnation are a battle between the grace of God and the will of man. We believe that condemning others will make us look better, but it does just the opposite. When we condemn others, we are really saying that we are better than those that we condemn. It keeps us from seeing the gates to heaven. But forgiving others frees us to receive the mercy of God.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God in Heaven, I judge others unfairly.

I condemn them while I myself am a sinner.

Fill me with the grace I need to forgive them

so that they will build the strength to sin no more.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon