John 8, 1-11
Sunday, 3 April 2022 (5th Lent C)
It is not uncommon to find news similar to this in the media: “woman sentenced to death for adultery”. In some Asian countries with a Muslim tradition, the situation of women is not the best possible. They are still far from having the same prerogatives as men. Religious principles are often invoked.
And men (almost always leaders) judge, condemn and execute. And they claim that it is God’s will. It is their interpretation.
We Christians are fortunate to follow the interpretation that Jesus gives us: do not judge, do not condemn, but love.
This Sunday’s Gospel shows us what Jesus did when a woman caught in adultery is brought to him. He questions those who accuse her: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Ashamed, they leave. They have all committed sins. And Jesus does not condemn her. He offers her a new chance. He shows her God’s love in spite of her sin.
The end of Lent is in sight, where from the very beginning we are asked to “convert”. This word sounds wrong to us because we misunderstand it. To convert is to try to live by the same values that Jesus teaches us, that is, by loving others as he did.
Can there be anything better than living with a heart full of love? Yet we seem to resist it. Our selfishness prevents us from stepping forward. Today Jesus tells us to take advantage of this new opportunity.
We will be happier.
Juan Ramón Gómez Pascual, cmf
Do you take advantage of the opportunities to ‘convert us’?
