DO NOT SIN ANY MORE

V SUNDAY OF LENT - John 8:1-11

In the story of the woman caught in adultery, we may look at the interveners: on one side, the scribes and the Pharisees, on the other, the woman accused of adultery, and in the middle, Jesus who is called upon to judge and condemn the woman, being himself put to the test. For most of the time, Jesus kept silent, as if he ignored the question posed by the scribes and Pharisees. In that woman, they had a golden opportunity to denounce and accuse him of breaking the law. Throughout the story, Jesus remains in control of the situation. By his silence, he creates suspense, leaving the accusers uncertain about what to do. His writing on the ground was like writing on the book of life (Rev 13:8; 20:12), the book used in the final judgement. Trying to judge and condemn, the scribes and the Pharisees stand in judgement before the Son of man. After a long silence, Jesus opens his mouth to pronounce only one sentence: “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus challenges them and with this challenge, he brings their sinfulness into the light. Forced to recognise that they were sinners, they left in shame. Being sinners, how could they behave like saints and condemn another sinner? Jesus unmasked them, revealing their hypocrisy. Being themselves in need of mercy, they would not show mercy.

With the scribes and the Pharisees gone, Jesus and the woman remained alone. The men had gone away without throwing a stone. Nobody had the courage to condemn her. Finally, Jesus addressed the woman with a reassuring word: “Neither do I condemn you.” To Nicodemus Jesus had said: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus came to save, not to condemn. To be saved, one must be confronted with his/ her own sin and undergo conversion. That is the proposal Jesus presented to the woman: “Go away, and do not sin any more.” God gives a time of respite for us to become aware of our sinfulness and then repent and believe. That woman’s life was touched and saved by Jesus. And the same may happen with each one of us.

Paul had an extraordinary encounter with the risen Lord Jesus Christ and that changed his life forever. And he is not ashamed of speaking of Christ and giving witness to Him: 

“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.”