MONDAY, 5TH WEEK OF LENT GOSPEL COMMENTARY: “GO, SIN NO MORE (v. 11).” Jn 8:1-11.
GOSPEL OF MONDAY, 5TH WEEK OF LENT Jn 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 any more.”
GOSPEL COMMENTARY
The Gospel of St. John (8:1-11) which recounts the story of the adulterous woman about to be stoned by the elders for being caught in the act underlines the fact that all of us are in need of conversion and Paschal renewal since all of us are sinners:
“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The elders went away one by one and Jesus was left along with the woman to whom he said: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
How great is God’s tenderness, benignity and mercy towards sinners! The Lord condemned the sin but not the person, not the woman. We should imitate Jesus’ attitude: we should always show compassion to all who are sinners like us and not pass cruel judgments against them. Learn to separate the person and the evil action. Compassion and mercy towards the person and rejection of the evil action.
Furthermore, Jesus is always willing to forgive us. However, He also expects from each one to put the means in order to live a new life: Go and from now on do not sin anymore!
Dear friends, as we approach the Holy Week when we commemorate the Paschal Mystery of Our Lord Jesus — His Passion, Death and Resurrection — through which we have been saved, LET US SECOND OUR LORD’S WORDS IN TODAY’S GOSPEL: “GO AND SIN NO MORE”, THUS STRUGGLING DAILY FOR LOVE TO GIVE DEATH TO SIN AND TO THE “OLD MAN” IN US AND THUS TRULY RESURRECT AND LIVE A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST AND TO THE NEW LIFE OF HOLINESS TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED US.
FOR YOUR 10-MINUTE MENTAL PRAYER
MAR. 30, 2020 HOLY MASS.
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