Catechism Links[1]
CCC 430, 545, 589, 1846-1847: Jesus manifests the Father’s mercy
CCC 133, 428, 648, 989, 1006: the surpassing wealth of knowing Christ
CCC 2475-2479: rash judgment
 |
| “Christ and fhe Adulterous Woman” by Pieter van Lint, ~1640 |
Commentary:
Options are offered for today’s Mass Celebration. The “Cycle C” readings may be used. Also, the first reading from the Cycle A readings may be used in place of Reading
Reading I: Isaiah 43:16-21
Commentary on Is 43:16-21
The Prophet first demonstrates some irony as he tells the people he speaks in the name of God who led the people out of Egypt, and destroyed the Pharaoh’s army that pursued them. He then tells them not to think of the past.
He speaks then of their return from exile in Babylon (the event happening as he writes), and how God again saved the people through his creative works. The intent of this discourse is to tell the people to thank God for what they themselves are receiving.
CCC: Is 43:19 711
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Commentary on Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Psalm 126 is a lament. In this short psalm, the singer rejoices at the return of Israel following the Diaspora, the conquering of Israel and its enslavement. In this hymn, the people remember the greatness of God as he restores their nation and brings them back to their own land ("Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves"). The sense is one of being overflowing with thanksgiving.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: Philippians 3:8-14
Commentary on Phil 3:8-14
Paul begins this selection with his own profession: all he has given up for the Lord counts for nothing as he holds Christ’s Lordship as the only thing of worth. He goes on to say that it is only through his faith in Christ that he receives salvation, that his former devotion to the Law of Moses did not accomplish salvation (as the Jews believe).
In the second section, Paul again uses himself as example, telling the Philippians that (even) he has not achieved the end goal of “perfect maturity” (a final state of grace), rather he still pursues that goal.
This discourse likely addresses some members of the community who feel they have achieved a high state of grace and have lost their humility. By his example, Paul, who in his status as founder would be considered to have been further along this course, demonstrates the humble attitude that should be present.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 8:1-11
Commentary on Jn 8:1-11
John’s Gospel places Jesus once more in the temple precincts. The story of Jesus and the Adulterous Woman constitutes another example of how the Jewish leadership attempts to trap Jesus with a difficult legal problem. They have no doubt heard the Lord’s teaching about loving one another and believe that he will not condemn the adulterous woman and thereby give them reason to call him “blasphemer.” As a side note, most scripture scholars believe this passage was not originally in St. John’s Gospel but was borrowed from St. Luke. Regardless, from a very early period it has been considered sacred in the current context.
It is not completely clear what Jesus is being asked to judge. The law concerning adultery by a betrothed virgin was stoning (see Deuteronomy 22:23-24). However, the law concerning married women was simply death (see Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22) and was generally carried out by strangulation.
In response, rather than debating the law, he simply begins writing in the dust. Tradition tells us that what he wrote with his finger was a list of the sins of those gathered to stone the woman caught in adultery. He then asked that the one without sin should cast the first stone. (The first stones were to be thrown by the witnesses.)
In either case, Jesus should not have been able to commute her sentence without going against the law so he uses his knowledge of people’s hearts to have the charges withdrawn. As we saw in the first reading, two accusers are required to condemn a person under the law.
The story continues that after his second set of writings in the dust, the group gathered to stone the woman; “…went away one by one, beginning with the elders.” Even, or more importantly first, the elders left. No one was without sin. In the closing statement Jesus does something unexpected. He does not judge the woman either; rather he tells her to go and sin no more emphasizing that Jesus came into the world not to judge it but through his presence save it.
CCC: Jn 8:2 583
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Gospel of Jesus and the adulterous woman brings into focus what scripture tells us as we reach the fifth week of our Lenten discipline. In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear the prophet telling the people that they do not need to look back to the time when they were saved by God in the exodus from Egypt. They can see God’s mercy and salvation around them, even as they return from the Babylonian exile. Their response to the prophet might have been sung as we heard in Psalm 126. (Our mini-lesson here is to look around at what God has done for us, in his mercy, today.)
Taken chronologically, the next story we hear is Jesus and the adulterous woman. We find the Lord challenged by the temple elders once more, this time bringing a woman to him, in humiliation, accused of adultery. Their motives were disingenuous as Jesus clearly saw. They assumed that, when so confronted, he would have only two choices. He could either support the letter of the law, pronouncing a death sentence (taking them at their word that the woman had in fact been caught in adultery), or he could deny the law and stand as a blasphemer in the temple precincts. In either case he would be trapped, either reversing his own teaching or contradicting the law.
Jesus took a third option, one not anticipated by the elders. He began writing in the dust in front of them. Tradition holds that what he was writing were the sins of those who accused the woman. In the first instance, probably of those who had brought the charges (these would have been the ones required to cast the first stone). He then called on them, in the face of their own sins, to cast the first stone. The implication would have been that charges could be brought against them, potentially having them share the fate of the woman they condemned.
The Gospel tells us that, as soon as he called upon the witnesses to cast the first stone, he began writing in the dust again. This time it was apparently the sins of the rest of those present. We are told the crowd all left, beginning with the elders. The image was clear, no one is without sin. All of the accusers left, leaving Jesus with the woman, the sinner and the sinless.
Fulfilling his mission in microcosm, he did not judge her (us). He simply asked her where her accusers were and then told her he would not accuse her either (in essence, granting her absolution). He then told her to go and sin no more.
If that story were not enough, we are also given St. Paul
The message as we said in the beginning is brought into focus by the Gospel; we must be constantly striving for God’s mercy, recognizing that through it we are invited back to him. Like the rising and falling of waves in the sea, we are constantly in need of forgiveness. And that gift is freely given in Christ. Our prayer and great hope today is that we might come before Jesus in the sacraments and be made worthy of the gift he offers: peace in our day and salvation in the world to come.
Pax
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014
[3] The picture is
No comments:
Post a Comment