Gospel: John 8:1-11

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 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.

Reflection:

Our gospel for today is from John 8:1-11 and this gospel speak of very important things. This gospel from John 8:1-11 reminds us of the adulterous woman and the Pharisees at the temple. The gospel will make us think to ourselves about “sin”.

We have all sinned and this is pure reality even before we were born. We all have experienced shame and worthlessness. Our first parents Adam and Eve committed the first sin and passed it to us. Human as we are we are full of dark desire deep inside. 

Even if we sinned and sin again, still Jesus holds us back to Him again. He never abandoned us. This is the reason why he came down from heaven to save us. This Lenten season, it is our prime duty to remember His sufferings for us because we are sinners.

The gospel in John 8:1-11 tells us to always look at the two sides of the coin. First the adulterous woman who is very remorseful of her sins and stood on the ground guilty. 

It was the Pharisees who brought this woman in the middle of the people to let them judge her. Yet, Jesus told them that whoever believes they have not sinned, they are the first to throw stones at her. The people realized that they all have sinned so no one can throw a stone at the woman.

The gospel in John 8:1-11 is very clear to portray these two sides because we sometimes misled ourselves. We sometimes think that we are perfect which in reality isn’t. The Pharisees seemed to look good and perfect yet they are the worst. They are deceitful and they sinned many times as the adulterous woman is. The only difference they have is that the adulterous woman is repenting.

This is what God wants us to do as well. No matter how we sinned, if we turn back to Him and change our ways, God will forgive us. This is the only thing we need to have. Pure repenting heart and giving our all to God and He will do the rest in our lives. – Clea | Helpline PH