Gospel: March 18, 2024
(Monday)
5th Week of Lent
Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop & doctor
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
1st Reading: Daniel 13: 1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 (Daniel 13: 41c-62)
Gospel: John 8: 1-11
As for Jesus, he went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak Jesus appeared in the temple again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.
Then the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone. “Master,” they said, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now the law of Moses orders that such women be stoned to death; but you, what do you say?” They said this to test Jesus, in order to have some charge against him.
Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. And as they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who has no sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And he bent down, again, writing on the ground.
As a result of these words, they went away, one by one, starting with the elders, and Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing before him. Then Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go away and don’t sin again.”
Reflection:“Forgiving ourselves”
God always forgives us. The question is: can we also forgive ourselves? We know that it is difficult to forgive other people. But there are times when it is even more difficult to forgive ourselves. To be able to learn the art of forgiveness, the first step is to reach out to one’s own self together with Jesus. Despite our sinfulness, Jesus’ way of reaching out to us is non-condemning. With Jesus, self-forgiveness is possible. Today’s Gospel narrates the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. When they brought the woman to Jesus, the attitude of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees was condemning. But Jesus’ forgiving attitude exposed the hypocrisy of the woman’s accusers. When Jesus told them that the one among them who committed no sin might throw the first stone at her, they left one by one. In the end, only the woman remained with Jesus. It implies that the woman was able to forgive herself too. No one was left to condemn her, not even her own self. Today, with Jesus, let us allow ourselves to be the first recipient of the forgiveness we are to give.
