March 30, 2020 Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
2020년 3월 30일 사순 제5주간 월요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
다니엘 예언서. 13,1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62<또는 13,41ㄷ-62>
그 무렵 1 바빌론에 요야킴이라고 하는 사람이 살고 있었다.
2 그는 수산나라고 하는 힐키야의 딸을 아내로 맞아들였는데,
수산나는 매우 아름답기도 하거니와 주님을 경외하는 여인이었다.
3 수산나의 부모는 의로운 이들로서 그 딸을 모세의 율법에 따라 교육시켰다.
4 한편 요야킴은 아주 부유한 사람으로서 넓은 정원이 그의 집에 맞붙어 있었다.
그는 누구보다도 큰 존경을 받았기 때문에, 유다인들이 늘 그를 찾아오곤 하였다.
5 그런데 그해에 어떤 두 원로가 백성 가운데에서 재판관으로 임명되었다.
바로 그들을 두고 주님께서 이렇게 말씀하신 적이 있다.
“바빌론에서, 백성의 지도자로 여겨지는 재판관인 원로들에게서 죄악이 나왔다.”
6 그들이 줄곧 요야킴의 집에 있었으므로,
소송거리가 있는 이들은 모두 그리로 그들을 찾아갔다.
7 한낮에 사람들이 떠나고 나면, 수산나는 남편의 정원에 들어가 거닐곤 하였다.
8 그렇게 그곳에 들어가 거니는 수산나를 매일 눈여겨본 그 두 원로는
수산나에게 음욕을 품게 되었다.
9 그들은 양심을 억누르고 하늘을 보지 않으려고 눈을 돌린 채,
의로운 판결조차 생각하지 않았다.
15 그들이 알맞은 날을 엿보고 있을 때,
수산나가 여느 때와 마찬가지로 하녀 둘만 데리고 정원으로 들어갔다.
그리고 날이 무더웠으므로 그곳에서 목욕을 하려고 하였다.
16 거기에는 숨어서 수산나를 엿보는 그 두 원로 말고는 아무도 없었다.
17 수산나는 하녀들에게,
“내가 목욕을 하게 올리브 기름과 물분을 가져오고
정원 문들을 닫아걸어라.” 하고 말하였다.
19 하녀들이 나가자마자 두 원로는 일어나서 수산나에게 달려가 20 말하였다.
“자, 정원 문들은 잠겼고 우리를 보는 이는 아무도 없소.
우리는 당신을 간절히 원하오. 그러니 우리 뜻을 받아들여 우리와 함께 잡시다.
21 그러지 않으면, 어떤 젊은이가 당신과 함께 있었고,
바로 그 때문에 당신이 하녀들을 내보냈다고 증언하겠소.”
22 수산나는 탄식하며 말하였다.
“나는 꼼짝 못할 곤경에 빠졌소. 그렇게 하면 그것은 나에게 죽음이고,
그렇게 하지 않는다 하여도 당신들의 손아귀에서 빠져나갈 수가 없을 것이오.
23 주님 앞에 죄를 짓느니,
차라리 그렇게 하지 않고 당신들의 손아귀에 걸려드는 편이 더 낫소.”
24 그러고 나서 수산나는 크게 소리를 질렀다.
그 두 원로도 수산나를 향하여 소리를 지르더니,
25 그 가운데 하나가 달려가서 정원 문들을 열어젖혔다.
26 집에 있던 사람들이 정원에서 나는 고함 소리를 듣고,
옆문으로 뛰어들어 가 수산나에게 일어난 일을 보았다.
27 원로들이 저희 쪽의 이야기를 하자 하인들은 매우 수치스럽게 생각하였다.
수산나를 두고 누가 그와 같은 말을 한 적이 한 번도 없었기 때문이다.
28 다음 날, 수산나의 남편 요야킴의 집으로 백성이 모여들 때,
그 두 원로는 수산나를 죽이겠다는 악한 생각을 가득 품고서 그리로 갔다.
29 그들이 백성 앞에서 말하였다.
“사람을 보내어 요야킴의 아내, 힐키야의 딸 수산나를 데려오게 하시오.”
그러자 백성이 사람을 보냈다.
30 수산나는 부모와 자녀들과 모든 친척과 함께 나왔다.
33 그러자 수산나 곁에 있던 이들과 그를 보는 이들이 모두 울었다.
34 그 두 원로는 일어나 백성 한가운데에서 수산나의 머리에 자기들의 손을 얹었다.
35 수산나는 눈물이 가득한 채 하늘을 우러러보았다.
마음으로 주님을 신뢰하고 있었기 때문이다.
36 그 두 원로는 이렇게 말하였다. “우리가 단둘이서 정원을 거닐고 있을 때,
이 여자가 여종 둘을 데리고 정원으로 들어가더니,
정원 문들을 닫아걸고서는 여종들을 내보냈소.
37 그때에 숨어 있던 젊은이 하나가 이 여자에게 가더니 함께 누웠소.
38 정원 구석에 있던 우리는 그 죄악이 벌어지는 것을 보고서 그들에게 달려갔소.
39 그리고 둘이서 정을 통하는 것을 보기는 하였지만,
그자가 우리보다 힘이 세어 붙잡을 수는 없었소.
그래서 그자는 문을 열고 달아나 버렸소.
40 그 대신 이 여자를 붙들고 그 젊은이가 누구냐고 물었지만,
41 이 여자는 그것을 우리에게 알려 주려고 하지 않았소. 이것이 우리의 증언이오.”
그들이 백성의 원로이며 재판관이었기 때문에,
회중은 그들을 믿고 수산나에게 사형을 선고하였다.
42 그때에 수산나가 크게 소리 지르며 말하였다.
“아, 영원하신 하느님! 당신께서는 감추어진 것을 아시고
무슨 일이든 일어나기 전에 미리 다 아십니다.
43 또한 당신께서는 이자들이 저에 관하여 거짓된 증언을 하였음도 알고 계십니다.
이자들이 저를 해치려고 악의로 꾸며 낸 것들을 하나도 하지 않았는데,
저는 이제 죽게 되었습니다.”
44 주님께서 수산나의 목소리를 들으셨다.
45 그리하여 사람들이 수산나를 처형하려고 끌고 갈 때,
하느님께서는 다니엘이라고 하는
아주 젊은 사람 안에 있는 거룩한 영을 깨우셨다.
46 그러자 다니엘이
“나는 이 여인의 죽음에 책임이 없습니다.” 하고 큰 소리로 외쳤다.
47 온 백성이 그에게 돌아서서, “그대가 한 말은 무슨 소리요?” 하고 물었다.
48 다니엘은 그들 한가운데에 서서 말하였다.
“이스라엘 자손 여러분, 여러분은 어찌 그토록 어리석습니까?
신문을 해 보지도 않고 사실을 알아보지도 않고,
어찌 이스라엘의 딸에게 유죄 판결을 내릴 수가 있습니까?
49 법정으로 돌아가십시오. 이자들은 수산나에 관하여 거짓 증언을 하였습니다.”
50 온 백성은 서둘러 돌아갔다. 그러자 다른 원로들이 그에게 말하였다.
“자, 하느님께서 그대에게 원로 지위를 주셨으니
우리 가운데에 앉아서 설명해 보게.”
51 다니엘이 “저들을 서로 멀리 떼어 놓으십시오.
제가 신문을 하겠습니다.” 하고 말하였다.
52 사람들이 그들을 따로 떼어 놓자, 다니엘이 그들 가운데 한 사람을 불러 말하였다.
“악한 세월 속에 나이만 먹은 당신, 이제 지난날에 저지른 당신의 죄들이 드러났소.
53 주님께서 ‘죄 없는 이와 의로운 이를 죽여서는 안 된다.’고 말씀하셨는데도,
당신은 죄 없는 이들에게 유죄 판결을 내리고
죄 있는 자들을 놓아주어 불의한 재판을 하였소.
54 자, 당신이 참으로 이 여인을 보았다면,
그 둘이 어느 나무 아래에서 관계하는 것을 보았는지 말해 보시오.”
그자가 “유향나무 아래요.” 하고 대답하였다.
55 그러자 다니엘이 말하였다. “진정 당신은 자기 머리를 내놓고 거짓말을 하였소.
하느님의 천사가 이미 하느님에게서 판결을 받아 왔소.
그리고 이제 당신을 둘로 베어 버릴 것이오.”
56 다니엘은 그 사람을 물러가게 하고 나서
다른 사람을 데려오라고 분부하였다. 그리고 그자에게 말하였다.
“유다가 아니라 가나안의 후손인 당신,
아름다움이 당신을 호리고 음욕이 당신 마음을 비뚤어지게 하였소.
57 당신들은 이스라엘의 딸들을 그런 식으로 다루어 왔소.
그 여자들은 겁에 질려 당신들과 관계한 것이오.
그러나 이 유다의 딸은 당신들의 죄악을 허용하지 않았소.
58 자 그러면, 관계하는 그들을 어느 나무 아래에서 붙잡았는지
나에게 말해 보시오.” 그자가 “떡갈나무 아래요.” 하고 대답하였다.
59 그러자 다니엘이 말하였다. “진정 당신도 자기 머리를 내놓고 거짓말을 하였소.
하느님의 천사가 이미 당신을 둘로 잘라 버리려고 칼을 든 채 기다리고 있소.
그렇게 해서 당신들을 파멸시키려는 것이오.”
60 그러자 온 회중이 크게 소리를 지르며,
당신께 희망을 두는 이들을 구원하시는 하느님을 찬미하였다.
61 다니엘이 그 두 원로에게, 자기들이 거짓 증언을 하였다는 사실을
저희 입으로 입증하게 하였으므로, 온 회중은 그들에게 들고일어났다.
그리고 그들이 이웃을 해치려고 악의로 꾸며 낸 그 방식대로 그들을 처리하였다.
62 모세의 율법에 따라 그들을 사형에 처한 것이다.
이렇게 하여 그날에 무죄한 이가 피를 흘리지 않게 되었다.
복음
요한 8,1-11
그때에 1 예수님께서는 올리브 산으로 가셨다.
2 이른 아침에 예수님께서 다시 성전에 가시니 온 백성이 그분께 모여들었다.
그래서 그분께서는 앉으셔서 그들을 가르치셨다.
3 그때에 율법 학자들과 바리사이들이 간음하다 붙잡힌 여자를 끌고 와서
가운데에 세워 놓고, 4 예수님께 말하였다.
“스승님, 이 여자가 간음하다 현장에서 붙잡혔습니다.
5 모세는 율법에서 이런 여자에게 돌을 던져 죽이라고
우리에게 명령하였습니다.
스승님 생각은 어떠하십니까?”
6 그들은 예수님을 시험하여 고소할 구실을 만들려고 그렇게 말한 것이다.
그러나 예수님께서는 몸을 굽히시어
손가락으로 땅에 무엇인가 쓰기 시작하셨다.
7 그들이 줄곧 물어 대자 예수님께서 몸을 일으키시어 그들에게 이르셨다.
“너희 가운데 죄 없는 자가 먼저 저 여자에게 돌을 던져라.”
8 그리고 다시 몸을 굽히시어 땅에 무엇인가 쓰셨다.
9 그들은 이 말씀을 듣고 나이 많은 자들부터 시작하여 하나씩 하나씩 떠나갔다.
마침내 예수님만 남으시고 여자는 가운데에 그대로 서 있었다.
10 예수님께서 몸을 일으키시고 그 여자에게, “여인아, 그자들이 어디 있느냐?
너를 단죄한 자가 아무도 없느냐?” 하고 물으셨다.
11 그 여자가 “선생님, 아무도 없습니다.” 하고 대답하자,
예수님께서 이르셨다. “나도 너를 단죄하지 않는다. 가거라.
그리고 이제부터 다시는 죄짓지 마라.”
March 30, 2020
Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62
In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,
who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna,
the daughter of Hilkiah;
her pious parents had trained their daughter
according to the law of Moses.
Joakim was very rich;
he had a garden near his house,
and the Jews had recourse to him often
because he was the most respected of them all.
That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges,
of whom the Lord said, “Wickedness has come out of Babylon:
from the elders who were to govern the people as judges.”
These men, to whom all brought their cases,
frequented the house of Joakim.
When the people left at noon,
Susanna used to enter her husband’s garden for a walk.
When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk,
they began to lust for her.
They suppressed their consciences;
they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven,
and did not keep in mind just judgments.
One day, while they were waiting for the right moment,
she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only.
She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm.
Nobody else was there except the two elders,
who had hidden themselves and were watching her.
“Bring me oil and soap,” she said to the maids,
“and shut the garden doors while I bathe.”
As soon as the maids had left,
the two old men got up and hurried to her.
“Look,” they said, “the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us;
give in to our desire, and lie with us.
If you refuse, we will testify against you
that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you.”
“I am completely trapped,” Susanna groaned.
“If I yield, it will be my death;
if I refuse, I cannot escape your power.
Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt
than to sin before the Lord.”
Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her,
as one of them ran to open the garden doors.
When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden,
they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her.
At the accusations by the old men,
the servants felt very much ashamed,
for never had any such thing been said about Susanna.
When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day,
the two wicked elders also came,
fully determined to put Susanna to death.
Before all the people they ordered:
“Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah,
the wife of Joakim.”
When she was sent for,
she came with her parents, children and all her relatives.
All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.
In the midst of the people the two elders rose up
and laid their hands on her head.
Through tears she looked up to heaven,
for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
The elders made this accusation:
“As we were walking in the garden alone,
this woman entered with two girls
and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls.
A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her.
When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime,
we ran toward them.
We saw them lying together,
but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we;
he opened the doors and ran off.
Then we seized her and asked who the young man was,
but she refused to tell us.
We testify to this.”
The assembly believed them,
since they were elders and judges of the people,
and they condemned her to death.
But Susanna cried aloud:
“O eternal God, you know what is hidden
and are aware of all things before they come to be:
you know that they have testified falsely against me.
Here I am about to die,
though I have done none of the things
with which these wicked men have charged me.”
The Lord heard her prayer.
As she was being led to execution,
God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
and he cried aloud:
“I will have no part in the death of this woman.”
All the people turned and asked him, “What is this you are saying?”
He stood in their midst and continued,
“Are you such fools, O children of Israel!
To condemn a woman of Israel without examination
and without clear evidence?
Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.”
Then all the people returned in haste.
To Daniel the elders said,
“Come, sit with us and inform us,
since God has given you the prestige of old age.”
But he replied,
“Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them.”
After they were separated one from the other,
he called one of them and said:
“How you have grown evil with age!
Now have your past sins come to term:
passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent,
and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says,
‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’
Now, then, if you were a witness,
tell me under what tree you saw them together.”
“Under a mastic tree,” he answered.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you your head,
for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him
and split you in two.”
Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought.
Daniel said to him,
“Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you,
lust has subverted your conscience.
This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel,
and in their fear they yielded to you;
but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.
Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.”
“Under an oak,” he said.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you also your head,
for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two
so as to make an end of you both.”
The whole assembly cried aloud,
blessing God who saves those who hope in him.
They rose up against the two elders,
for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury.
According to the law of Moses,
they inflicted on them
the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:
they put them to death.
Thus was innocent blood spared that day.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (4ab) Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Gospel
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.”
http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow
«Go away and don't sin again»
Fr, Jordi PASCUAL i Bancells
(Salt, Girona, Spain)
Today, we are given to see in the Gospel the merciful face of Jesus. God is love, and Love that forgives, Love that takes pity on our failings, Love that saves. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees «brought in a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery» (Jn 8:4) and they asked the Lord: «But you, what do you say?» (Jn 8:5). They ware not as much interested in following Jesus' teachings as they ware in accusing him of going against the Mosaic Law. But the Master takes advantage of this occasion to manifest that He has come to seek the sinners, to straighten out the fallen, to call them to conversion and to penance. And this is for us the message for Lent, inasmuch as we are all sinners and we all need God's saving grace.
Today, it is said that the sense of sin has been stifled. There are many who do not know what is good or bad, nor why. It is like saying —in a positive way— that the sense of Love for God has been quenched: of God's Love for us, and the reciprocity this Love exacts from us. He who loves does not offend. He, who recognizes being loved and forgiven, renders love for Love: «They asked the Friend which was the source of love. He answered, the one where the Beloved has cleansed our faults» (Raymond Llull).
This is why, the sense of conversion and penance during Lent is to confront us face-to-face with God, to look straight into the eyes of God in the Cross, to personally go and confess our sins to Him by way of the sacrament of Penance. And, Jesus will tell us, as He did with the woman in the Gospel: «Neither do I condemn you… go away and don't sin again» (Jn 8:11). God forgives, and, on our side, this entails a demand, a commitment: Do not sin again!
Mary, haven of sinners, pray for us!
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
Today’s gospel from John is one of my favorites to engage in contemplative prayer to bring the story to life. Using my imagination as I pray helps me listen to the stirrings in my heart and brings me closer to God. In this story I embody the role of the woman who has been accused by scribes and Pharisees of adultery. As I stand in the hot sun, my feet in the dust, I feel terrified as I have seen what happens to women in my village who have been accused of adultery. I also feel frustration as I, like Susanna in the first reading from Daniel, am falsely accused as things are not always as they appear, and no one will listen to me. Anger wells in me for this lack of justice but I know better than to speak up. The crowd is growing, and I feel the negative energy surge through the people gathered.
Yet I am immediately comforted by the sight of Jesus. Rather than interrogating me or my accusers he remains calm. He is not dismissive but rather the opposite and is very present in the moment. This tranquility helps my fear dissipate and allows me to remember my faith in Jesus. My curiosity builds as I see Jesus calmly drawing in the dirt. I cannot make out the images and I have no idea what he is doing. When he stands up to confront my accusers I could not believe my ears when he said: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” one by one the men who have accused me walk away and I realize I am not about to face a horrible death. Then Jesus says to me, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” I hear support and encouragement in the words of Jesus. And I feel renewed strength to live my faith in all aspects of my life.
During this most unusual Lenten season as our world faces the unknowns associated with the pandemic, I am grateful to be reminded of the gentle and purposeful presence of Jesus. I pray to know that I am not facing any challenge alone. I ask God to show me ways I can be a calming and supportive presence for someone, especially in these times when I cannot be physically present. I pray for curiosity to be able to see multiple perspectives of a situation and to not leap to a quick judgement. And I pray for spiritual, mental, emotional and physical healing for our global community.
This refrain from today’s Psalm is a powerful prayer for these unsettling times:
Even though I walk in the dark valley I feel no evil; for you are at my side.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
UN-ADULTERATED | ||
| "The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death." �Daniel 13:41 | ||
We spend our time judging adulteresses rather than fighting adultery and the demons behind it. Our battle is not against human forces but against the principalities and powers, the legions of demons (Eph 6:12). Like Jesus, we should hold our ground against the evil one (Jn 8:6). "Resist the devil and he will take flight" (Jas 4:7). The first battlefield on which we attack the evil one is our own hearts. We must fight the Pharisee within us (Jn 8:3) and remove the plank from our own eyes (Mt 7:5). Then we can remove specks from others' eyes. When our obedience is complete, we can make every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor 10:5-6). In summary, our business is to love the sinner but hate the sin, repent personally, or convict and convert others if they delay in repenting. We have the authority and power to do all these things, and therefore we will be successful. | ||
| Prayer: Father, this Lent may I do my job and not Yours. | ||
| Promise: "Jesus said, 'Nor do I condemn you. You may go. But from now on, avoid this sin.' " —Jn 8:11 | ||
| Praise: Juan shares his faith with his brother while praying for him to return to the Church. |
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
"Go, and do not sin again"
When accusations are brought against you, how do you respond and where do you turn for help? The Book of Daniel tells the story of Susanna, a godly woman who loved God and his word. She was unjustly accused of adultery by two elder judges who had tried to seduce her. Since adultery was a serious offense punishable by stoning to death, the law of Moses required at least two witnesses, rather than one, to convict a person. Susanna knew she had no hope of clearing her good reputation and escaping death apart from God's merciful intervention. Daniel tells us that she looked up to heaven and cried out to the Lord for his help (Daniel 13:35). The two elders who wanted to sin with her had done just the opposite - they hid themselves from God's sight and they kept their secret sin hidden from the people as well. They brought false charges against her in revenge for her refusal to sin with them. God in his mercy heard the plea of Susanna and he punished the two elders for giving false witness.
Unjust accusations against Jesus
The Gospel accounts frequently describe how Jesus had to face unjust accusations made by the Pharisees, the ruling elders of Israel. They were upset with Jesus' teaching and they wanted to discredit him in any way they could. They wanted to not only silence him, but to get rid of him because of his claim to speak with God's authority. When a moral dilemma or difficult legal question arose, it was typical for the Jews to take the matter to a rabbi for a decision. The scribes and the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. John writes that they wanted to "test" Jesus on the issue of retribution so " they might have some charge to bring against him" (John 8:6).
Jewish law treated adultery as a serious crime since it violated God's ordinance and wreaked havoc on the stability of marriage and family life. It was one of the three gravest sins punishable by death. If Jesus said the woman must be pardoned, he would be accused of breaking the law of Moses. If he said the woman must be stoned, he would lose his reputation for being the merciful friend of sinners.
Jesus then does something quite unexpected - he begins to write in the sand. The word for "writing" which is used here in the Gospel text has a literal meaning "to write down a record against someone" (for another example see Job 13:26). Perhaps Jesus was writing down a list of the sins of the accusers standing before him. Jesus now turns the challenge towards his accusers. In effect he says: Go ahead and stone her! But let the man who is without sin be the first to cast a stone. The Lord leaves the matter to their own consciences.
Pardon, restoration, and new life
When the adulterous woman is left alone with Jesus, he both expresses mercy and he strongly exhorts her to not sin again. The scribes wished to condemn, Jesus wished to forgive and to restore the sinner to health. His challenge involved a choice - either to go back to her former way of sin and death or to reach out to God's offer of forgiveness, restoration, and new life in his kingdom of peace and righteousness. Jesus gave her pardon and a new start on life. God's grace enables us to confront our sin for what it is - unfaithfulness to God, and to turn back to God with a repentant heart and a thankful spirit for God's mercy and forgiveness. Do you know the joy of repentance and a clean conscience?
"God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect. In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, that you are on our side against all that stunts life, and that our resentment against you was groundless. So we come to you, asking you to forgive our past ignorance, and wanting to know more and more of you and your forgiving love, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Saint Augustine)
Psalm 23:1-6
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2 he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
A Daily Quote for Lent: Aided by Christ's grace, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"No one of us does anything good unless aided by Christ's grace. What we do badly comes from ourselves; what we do well, we do with the help of God. Therefore, let us give thanks to God who made it possible. And when we do well, let us not insult anyone who does not act in the same way. Let us not extol ourselves above such a person." (excerpt from Commentary on Psalm 93,15)
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