MERCIFUL JUSTICE

V SUNDAY OF LENT - Jn 8:1-11

Human justice is full of hypocrisy and many times it is mixed with revenge. The ones judging and condemning are pitiless and harsh in their self-righteousness, as if they are better than the one they condemn.

A few months ago, the news reported about a very old man who had been a guard in one of Hitler’s prison camps. He was going to be tried, accused of participating in the execution of prisoners. It is true that, as they say in Bemba, a case never gets rotten. But it sounded more like revenge than justice, forgetting that in their hearts dwells the same kind of evil. If they lived under the same circumstances, they would do the same or even worse, because very few people are ready to die for not compromising their principles.

In the gospel, we are presented with the woman caught in adultery, and with all the harshness and blindness of their hearts, the Pharisees wanted to stone her in the name of the law. They forgot that one does not commit adultery alone. Then, how could they have caught only one?

Nowadays, in the news, time and again, we hear similar stories. In most of the muslim countries, a woman who becomes pregnant because of rape, is accused of adultery, and punished. It is not surprising, since Muhammad did the same:

“Go to the wife of this (man) and if she confesses (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse), then stone her to death.” (from Al Bukhara, Volume 3, Book 38, Number 508)

Justice confused with revenge leads to destruction and death. For Jesus, justice goes with mercy and compassion, and only in that way can we overcome the evil in our hearts and find peace.

Jesus’ question to the accusers who wanted to kill the woman is addressed also to each one of us:

“If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (Jn 8:7).

We need to learn from Christ, as Paul did

I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him - Phil 3:8

Let us make Christ the centre of our lives and with him we will learn to be merciful.