Let us pray for the courage to follow Christ.
Jn 8:1-11Jesus 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.”
Jesus does something new. He shames the honored of the community and honors the shamed. He writes her sentence in the dirt of the earth with His finger. He is writing a sentence of release for all those who live on the earth upon which He writes here and will write with His Blood. Her accusers slink off one by one into their shameful isolation. She is told to pick up her present from the past and take it all into her future, unshamed and now honored. This is definitely a new thing and it will ultimately redound to His being treated according to the old things.
The verses which follow this section contain Jesus’ proclaiming that He is the “Light of the world”.
Christ, our life, through baptism we were buried with you and rose to new life with you, - may we walk today in newness of life. Lord, you have brought blessings to all mankind, - bring us to share your concern for the good of all. May we work together to build up the earthly city, - with our eyes fixed on the city that lasts forever. Healer of body and soul, cure the sickness of our spirit, - so that we may grow in holiness through your constant care.
Loving God, it's so hard to love the world sometimes and to love it the way Jesus did seems impossible. Help us to be inspired by his love and guided by his example. Amen
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