This Sunday, April 6th, is the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The gospel story for this Sunday is about a woman caught in adultery. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 13th. You still have time to make this Lent meaningful if you haven’t already.
The Woman Caught in Adultery
The reading this Sunday comes from the book of John 8:1-11. The story starts with Jesus teaching his disciples, and the Pharisees bring in a woman caught in the act of adultery. While her actions were sinful, the main reason the Pharisees brought her to Jesus was to lay a trap for Him so they could charge him with breaking the law. The sixth commandment is “Thou shall not commit adultery.”
“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’ Response
Jesus’ response is a curious one. He begins writing in the dirt with his finger.
‘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 anymore.”’
What do you think Jesus was writing in the dirt? Many believe He was writing down the sins of those who wanted to charge her and stone her. Interestingly, they all acknowledged their own sinfulness after focusing on the woman’s sin. After Jesus challenged them, they all walked away, beginning with the elders.
Fifth Sunday Lesson for Lent
The lesson in this gospel reminds me of another lesson Jesus taught us in Matthew 7:1-5:
“Stop judging,* that you may not be judged. As you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
We quickly judge others while failing to look at our sinful behavior. This is what the Pharisees were doing; they were notorious for examining others’ sinful behavior and not their own.
Praying over the scriptures and imagining yourself in the story can be helpful. Pay attention to how you feel as you imagine yourself as part of the group condemning the woman or herself. Praying this way can sometimes bring up feelings or events from your past that God may ask you to examine.
Enjoy the remaining time this Lent. In the “Comments” section, please let me know what you think about this article.
Peace
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