Seeing our own sinfulness

She could have tried to break away, but she turned to God who is the light of truth and compassion. The elders who were about to stone her were testing Jesus by saying: “Moses commanded us to stone such women. What do you say?” Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground, and the elders began to realize their own sins. Perhaps Jesus was writing out the commandments that they had been breaking, and how God had shown them mercy. And then Jesus said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The elders realized their own sins, and God’s mercy, and one by one they showed compassion, and walked away. She could have walked away, too. But she stayed before the Lord of truth and compassion. And Jesus read her heart and soul. He knew the venial sins and the deception she bought into before this tragic point in her life.

Perhaps he knew the man who groomed her with favors and enticements, and how she trusted him as a friend, but then gave in to sin, the forbidden fruit of false love. Deep down she knew her actions and thoughts were lies of selfishness that puts our selfish desires before God’s supreme goodness and truth, that sexual intimacy is between a man and a woman in marriage open to God and life.

She could have walked away from Jesus. I know this because I have walked away from Jesus when I have sinned. Any time we sin we are using our free will to say

“No, to God. Yes, to me.” She could have walked away from Jesus, just as she did to get herself into this situation. But she stayed before the Lord.

She opened herself to the grace that he offered her, and opened her heart to him. He knew the sorrow in her heart and her desire for true love. And Jesus, the source of that true love, the Lord of the universe, the one who created her and sustains her every heart beat and breath, the one who alone can lead her to God, forgave her.

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” Imagine hearing those words: “Neither do I condemn you. You will have another chance to live your life for

God and others, in true love.” What compassion and mercy Jesus shows the repentant sinner who stays before the Lord in the light of his truth, forgiveness and mercy.

What liberation from condemnation to freedom, “Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Jesus shows great confidence in her, and the grace that will flower within her soul. Jesus does not call her to follow him at that moment, but rather to go and trust the Holy Commandments of God. Go and do penance by living for those who are need of you sharing the mercy and wisdom of God.

We do not know the name of this woman caught in adultery, but we can recall similar stories of anonymous sinners who were asked to follow Jesus, or after being freed from sin and demonic possession are asked to go and share the truth about Jesus with their families. However, we know the name of one of the greatest sinners, a close friend of Jesus. His name we know, for it was Simon Peter, who after three years of walking with Jesus, betrayed him three times.

After three years of seeing Jesus Christ heal the blind, cast out demons, multiply the bread and fish to feed the hungry, admonish the sinner, and forgive sinners; still Simon Peter denied Jesus Christ three times. We will read about this on Good Friday of Holy Week, and we will hear Jesus ask Simon Peter three successive times during the Easter Season, “Do you love me?” and Peter said, “Yes”, each time to undo the three denials. We then see Jesus give him something to do, a penance, a work of charity for God and his people: “Feed my lambs… Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep.”

In that conversation at the edge of the lake, when Jesus asked Simon Peter a third time, “Do you love me?” Peter was distressed and responded, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.” Jesus does not want to stress people out, but he does want them to make up for their sins, and so Peter had to confess three times for his denying Jesus three times. This is like our call to confess the kind and number of mortal sins to the best of our ability in order to make a good confession. Unlike St. Peter’s denial of God’s love, we don’t read publicly about our sins every year in the church – thank God for that!

It is interesting to note that each time St. Peter responds with, “Yes, I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.” Do this by following me and living a life of service to my people through the sacrament of confession and feed my people with my life, the Bread from Heaven, the Holy Eucharist that gives witness to the world that you truly follow Jesus Christ and his Church to the Father’s Eternal home of peace.

To we who are sinners since we are not yet in the fullness of heaven, we hear Christ say to us: “Go, and do not sin any more.” Live in the grace of Jesus’ power to share true love and the love of truth, that of Jesus Christ and his bride the Church, which brings new life to those who stay in the presence of the Lord, the Bread of Life.

Peace in Christ,

Fr. Thomas McCabe