From the Pulpit Fifth Sunday of Lent
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FROM THE PULPIT
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT – YEAR C.
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43: 16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3: 8-14; John 8: 1-11.
REFLECTION: Justice and mercy meet
Fr. Benoit Mukamba, CSSp.
The story of the woman accused of adultery brings justice face to face with mercy. As though pointing out to the true meaning of the Holy Scripture, Jesus writes on the ground instead of answering the serious question asked him by the crowd. Nobody knows what the Lord wrote down with his finger. But the fact that he wrote down on the ground captured the attention of the Evangelist John. There must be a deeper meaning to this action of writing. The finger of God was writing on the ground of the Temple Area bringing justice and mercy in the land. The finger of God was writing on the ground making new the Holy Scripture and writing down the terms of the New Covenant in his Son Jesus.
The prophecy of Isaiah (43: 18-19) that says, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth”, even though historically it seems to announce the liberation of Israel by King Cyrus; it finds its fulfilment in the person of Jesus Christ, liberator of all the created order. According to the Pharisees and the Scribes accusing the adulterous woman, Moses allowed them to lapidate the woman. They preferred to execute a one sided justice. They ignored the reality that an act of adultery involves two parties. They chose to practice injustice in the eyes of God. But Jesus wouldn’t let them go free. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her”. This bomb shell sent them away, beginning with the eldest among them who should have known much better, and ending with the youngest that were misled by the teaching of the Pharisees and Scribes.
Combining justice and mercy, Jesus saved the life of that woman, neither declaring her innocent nor condemning her but recommending her to live a life free from sin. As Christians, this story of the merciful Jesus toward the adulteress gives us confidence to approach the sacrament of reconciliation in preparation for the great feast of Easter. We are all sinners. John the Apostle reminds us, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1John 1: 10). “If anyone says, "I know Him (God)," but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2: 4). Since we all offend the Good Lord pretty often, thank God we do not have Pharisees and Scribes as our judges but we have God who judges justly and mercifully. God’s objective is to save us from final damnation.
A just and merciful God calls us to deal with each other in similar fashion. We ought to help each other on our way to eternal happiness.
