18 March, 2024 | Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

 Reading Dan   13:41c-62

Gospel Jn 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.”

Reflections:

 The look of Jesus on this condemned woman saved her - the look of divine and everlasting love. In prayer we can bring all the shame and guilt of our lives to this story of forgiveness and hear words spoken to each of us - ‘I do not condemn you.'

If God who is personified as Love, Mercy, Almighty power in our Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven us our sins unconditionally . We too must strive to forgive others their sins against us . 

Activity :

 I will not look back with guilt after my confession, but look ahead in life to begin anew.