Reflection for March 22 Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 8:1-11

Gospel: John 8:1-11

Jesus 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 anymore.”

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Reflection:

Are you a person who is quick to judge? Many of us like it very much to judge not knowing that when we judge we also invite others to judge us. This is our weakness we are very quick to judge. What authority do we have to judge and to give condemnation?  

We are quick to judge because we have a mindset of superiority. This is what compels us to quickly judge those who sin. Otherwise if we don’t have this mindset of superiority we would not judge. We instead would give advice or give counsel for this is the best remedy for those who sin.  

Judgment or condemnation will never heal a sinner it will even push a sinner deeper into sin until it destroys him/her.  

In the gospel the woman caught committing adultery was very blessed because her accusers brought her to Jesus. Otherwise if she was brought somewhere else she would have immediately been killed by the arrogance of her accusers. But thanks God Jesus was there to save and protect her.  

To whom do you go to find shelter and solace when you are being condemned and unfairly judged by the people of this world or when you are being disturbed by the worries of this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas