THE WORD
Dn 13,41-62 / 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 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 he 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."
Alternative gospel if Jn 8, 1-11 is read on the preceding Sunday..Jn 8, 12-20
Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." So the Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified. Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgement is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me. So they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also. He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
IN OTHER WORDS
Nobody is quintessentially wicked. Deep in our hearts lives the longing to be good. This longing is often put to silence by disappointments and bitterness. It is also armored. Yes, how tempting it is to build walls around our hearts to make ourselves bulletproof! Even if it’s like that, the heart is still there – it exists! Like spring buds, the longing of the heart only needs the sun for it to blossom. The adulteress experienced that. She was surrounded by accusers who only saw her indiscretion and how she should be, in accordance to the law of Moses (Leviticus 20: 10), condemned to stoning.
They tried to test Jesus by entrusting to him the judgement: “What do you say?” Jesus came up. He was convinced that the longing to be good lives in the heart of this woman. He shows goodness to her, and this goodness allows her to blossom – to claim and live the life, that is almost wasted, anew! There will be new beginnings for her, this time determined by honesty, peace and integrity.
All of us have had bad experiences. Jesus wants us not to get stuck there. Let His words speak to us: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
- Fr. Ritch Salinas, SVD | Germany
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.
