THE WORD
FIRST READING: Is 43,16-21
Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, Who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, Till they lie prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out, quenched like a wick.
Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; See, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the wilderness I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches, For I put water in the wilderness and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, The people whom I formed for myself, that they might recount my praise.
SECOND READING: Phil 3,8-14
More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and [the] sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus]. Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.
GOSPEL: Jn 8, 1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 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 fi nger. 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.”
IN OTHER WORDS
Everyone is familiar with the statement of Pope Francis that said, “Who am I to judge?” In the gospel passage, Jesus was saying something along similar lines: “Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone.” Being confronted with a sinner is a reminder that we are all sinners, although perhaps at different levels. When we refuse to judge someone, like what Jesus did, we are showing that as sinners we are not in a position to render judgment on a fellow sinner. We are leaving it to God, who knows the inner workings of a person’s heart, what the fate of that person should be. We are aware that a sinner always has the opportunity to change his ways and forsake sin. We are aware that there is always a chance for God’s grace to come into his heart and lead him to conversion. As long as there is life, there is always a chance for conversion, even perhaps in the last seconds of one’s life. This can be seen as a way of understanding the message of “Mercy and Compassion”. It is acknowledging that too often we succumb to our human weaknesses, and that it is only with God’s grace that we can rise up above our human frailties. Our life is a constant struggle against our weaknesses and shortcomings. Some of us seem to be stronger, some not so. Our sense of compassion makes us understand that we are suffering with them, understanding their struggles, and sharing what they are going through.
In many religious communities, there are members who have not lived up to their vows, and are understandably feeling despondent because of their shortcomings. When the community does not condemn them and they feel still accepted in spite of what they have done, they are encouraged to start all over again and do better. When one experiences mercy and compassion from his brothers and sisters, the way to conversion and renewal is opened to him. We are then reminded of what somebody said, “There is no saint without a past, and there is no sinner without a future.”
- Fr. Gil Alejandria, SVD | CT Manila
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
