FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE LENT – YEAR C:
(Is 43:16-21; Phil 3:8-14; John 8:1-11)
Theme: Let Us Transform the Stones of Accusation Into the Construction of Christian Life
Reflection:
We Are Running Towards Our Destiny of Easter
- Only Few More Days: We are in the fifth Sunday of the Lent. We are coming closer to the great joy of the Easter. Not a long way to go. Only few days more. We will be in the bosom of that Joy that will last forever. We have been making this Lenten journey: the pilgrimage of spiritual renewal. We must have seen lot of difficulty and great amount of fatigue in the four-week Lenten walk we have done. Apart from this, there must have been also moment of sincere sacrifice and constant prayer which have been our companions on our path. This is the great courage and consolation we have: we are not all alone in our journey, for we have a Great Companion Jesus Christ himself, our Lord and Master. Though we are faced with the few hindrances on our way, it is He who helps us to get along the road. In fact, he never promised a road full of roses but full of stones and thorns. He himself walks before us, paving and preparing the way for us, because he is the Way and the way he places us on is the Way Of the Cross. This is the reason why the Way of the Cross does not belong only to the Lenten Season, but to each and every second of our life, both human and Christian. The only promise he assures us is this: Once we walk through this way, we are certain to participate in the destiny of it, and the destiny is the Eternal Joy. Eternal joy is not just a joy which comes after this life. Joy can be eternal if we learn to tread the difficult path, which is normal and common to the fragile human nature, with faith, hope and charity. When we learn to walk in the way of the cross, we will be empowered, not with the joy of escaping the passion, but with the strength of facing it without fear, always bearing in mind the fruit that will be ours afterwards. The fruit is the Joy. Our forty day Lenten journey is only an initiation which can become or which actually becomes Our Life’s Journey. It may become a journey of three hundred and sixty five days. But we do not fear because we have learnt to walk the path without any difficulty with our companion, Jesus, as our guide.
- A Run Towards The Destiny: Our Lenten journey is a course of running towards the Joy of the Resurrection. In fact, St. Paul reminds us that we are running towards the end where a prize is prepared for us. His words are the exhortation for us: ‘I do not think that I have already won the prize or I have already arrived to the perfection; I force myself to run to win it, because I have been conquered by Jesus Christ. Brothers, I do not think that I have already reached it. I know only this: I will forget the past and proceed towards the future; I will run towards the end to arrive at the prize that God calls us to receive there, in Jesus Christ’ (Phil 3:12-14). Let us remember that Paul is writing to the Philippians from the prison. His letter contains the message of joy of being a Christian even in the greatest sufferings of our life. We do not worry of the past, because we have already learnt from it and we have crossed it. Our Christian hope leads us towards the future because a room is prepared for us by our Lord. Between the past and the future we need to lead the life in the faith which makes us go all along without any discouragement and preoccupation: it is a journey towards a destiny and we need to run. We need to run with the joy of conquering the premium that Jesus preserves for us. We should not miss the possibility. We should not lose the prize. Above all, we should not refuse the gift of life that Jesus wants to share with us. Therefore, our Christian life is “a running towards the prize of eternal life”. It is within our reach. We need to open the eyes to see it. We need to extend our hands to touch it. We need to open the heart to reach it and to embrace it. Let us remember again that in our running there is always Jesus who feeds us with the word of encouragement and with the food of will power and commitment. Let us fix our heart on the prize. Let us run towards it with the joy.
Readings:
God’s Mercy Invites the Fallen Heart to the Renewal
- Confrontation – The Context: The gospel passage is the central message for today. The first thing that needs attention is its context. The context is the similar to that of the last Sunday. The context appears as the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus is spreading the good news of salvation. His words are kind and merciful. His invitation of God’s love is extended to all without any barriers. His miracles of healing have drawn the attention of the people. The number of the people who put their confidence in Jesus is increasing. They flock to Jesus both for listening to his message and for getting some favor in one way or the other. The name of Jesus is becoming famous. People start preferring to follow Jesus and to stay with him, and to take his words. The gospel passages of both Sundays, last Sunday and today, reveal the truth that crowds of people come to listen to him. Meanwhile the condition of the religious leaders, or the doctors of the law, is becoming pathetic. Their laws and their words are becoming meaningless and senseless in the light of Jesus new law of love. They develop a kind of jealousy towards Jesus. They are frightened also losing their place in the society and power in the leadership. With the jealousy and with the fear they want to trap Jesus and make him quit from the predication. They have tried many a time before with their words and with their gestures. But every time Jesus has either won the argument they put forward or escape from them because of their incredulity. This time they come with the living case through which they intend to trap him. The case they bring is the woman caught in adultery.
- The Trap of the Law: The Pharisees and Sadducees are very confident this time that they can trap Jesus with the law given by God Himself through Moses. For them the law is more precious than anything else. They place the woman sinner in front of Jesus and throw their arrow to him. They call him “Master!”. Already with their referring Jesus as the Master, they want to put Jesus between the Law of Moses and the law of love he is proclaiming. They think that their question is sharper and that Jesus will be in the dilemma to answer it and they can accuse him. Their well prepared question is this: ‘Master! this woman is caught in adultery. Moses has commanded us to stone a woman of such kind. And, you, what do you say about this?’ Jesus would have very well answered: ‘you are the doctors of the law; you know better about the situation; you know also what has to be done in this conditions; so why do you bring her to me; just apply the law also to her.’ Jesus would have said like this and escaped the situation. They would have respected Jesus for obeying the law of Moses and they would have gone back with joy of winning over him. BUT NO. The intention and the mission of Jesus is not to escape the situation but to preserve and perfect the situation.
- Jesus preserves and perfects the Law: They wanted to trap Jesus with the law of Moses. Yet, Jesus does not allow himself to be trapped. No, he does not bend to their question and to their sharp arrow. In fact, he is aware of two things. First, he is aware of the Law given by God through Moses. The law is always to create an order in the society and to correct and to elevate man in his human dignity. He respect such law and he does not want that such law is misinterpreted. Second, he also knows that these so called doctors of the law have neglected the essence of the law and changed it to their advantage and favor. Knowing what they talking about and knowing why they are talking like this, Jesus does not speak a word. He just bends down and writes on the ground. What he writes on the ground is not known well. But already the gesture of bending and writing on the ground signify two characteristics: the one who writes on the ground is the master of the situation and he is not interested at all of what is happening around him for that moment. It shows that Jesus takes the situation into his hands. He is not interested in their question and in their attitude. He just bypasses by doing what he likes without answering them even a word. They get annoyed with the behavior of Jesus. Their intention is different: they want to make Jesus talk against the law of Moses and want to fool him in front of the people. They insist him to respond. Jesus is aware that they are trying all the possible means to make him speak something. He gets up, looks at them and asks them only one thing: ‘who among you is without sin, let him throw the first stone on her’. Jesus does not add a word or remove a word. He says this and again he holds the situation in his hand by writing on the ground. They become silent. They did not expect an answer like this. They are confused. They do not know what to respond. Jesus do not insist them. He knows that his arrow is more sharper than theirs. Their arrow is one edged but his is doubled edged. With lot of discouragement they leave the place one by one. Jesus does not allow them to misuse the law given by God. The law is needed not for condemning but to correct the person. He preserves the law from their misuse. Further, he perfects the law of Moses with the ingredients of love and mercy. Love for the person must surpass the law. This is the new teaching the Jesus brings to the world.
- Interaction – The Content: The Pharisees and Sadducees have tried to make the woman caught in adultery as the central part of the entire scene. But for Jesus, the sinner woman is not the point of focus. His changes the focal point. He makes the law perfected with love as the central message. When Jesus has changed the whole scene taking it into his hands as the master, no one remained. All those who have come to trap him disappear. Now there remain only Jesus and the accused woman and of course the crowds that have come to listen to him. The attitude of Jesus is very particular. He does not deliver long discourses in the situations of this kind. He speaks just a single word. His interaction is more of mercy than of mere words. Already with his loving presence he wins the situation and purifies the sinner. Jesus asks the woman: ‘where are they? No one has condemned you?”. The woman already enters into the sphere of Jesus’ love. She recognizes him as the Master and the Lord. In fact, she calls him: ‘Lord’. She says: ‘No one, Lord’. The words that come from Jesus’ mouth are very sweet and at the same time very admonishing: ‘I will not condemn you either; go and do not sin anymore’. His words are sweet because they contain the message of pardon and love; they purify her from inside and make her acceptable person in the society. He does not encourage either the sin. He condemns the sin but he pardons the sinner. He admonishes the woman not to get into the same kind of situation by sinning again. In other words, he invites her to live a new life in God’s love and mercy. He reminds her of her dignity of being God’s loving child. The interaction between Jesus and the sinner woman is the content of the gospel passage. In the presence of Jesus, in the context of salvation he brings, the sin has no more power and the sinner becomes transformed and renewed creature. This is the message of the first reading of today: God promises to make everything new and renewal of human beings takes its realization in the person and in the mission of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
Stones Thrown At Us – A Corner Stone For The Construction Of Christian life
- Let Us Not Throw A Stone At Others: The message that is offered to us by the reflection of today is very simple, yet profound. We need to learn not to throw a stone at anyone. Jesus invites us not to accuse anyone who wrongs against us. We need to change this kind of attitude. If we start throwing stones at the fault of others, our bags will be full of stones rather than other things. We need to remember the truth that “the measure we measure with is the same measure we will be measured” and further, “if we judge others, we will also be judged by others”. Message of Jesus is clear: Do not accuse and you will not accused; do not throw a stone and you will not be thrown a stone; you give and the same way you receive. The same content is expressed elsewhere: ‘the one who has a big log in his eye is not in the position of removing a small thing that is in the eyes of the other’. Jesus says: You, Hypocrite! First Remove the log from your eyes and you will be able to see clearly the eye of your neighbor. Therefore, let us not throw any stone at others.
- Let Us Transform The Stones Into The Construction: As Christians we do not accuse anyone and we do not throw any stone at others. This does not mean that we do not receive any stones at all. The insults, the accuses and the abusive attitudes will be thrown at us. We need to face lot of incomprehension and will be condemned. But we have also an answer: an answer of mercy and love. We need to become the masters of the situation: not that we need to become indifferent but we need to act differently. We need to demonstrate an attitude of care and concern towards our enemies or towards those who throw stones at us. Not easy. Yet it is not impossible. Jesus is Our Master and Model for us in this. He has answered all the insults and accusations with the humility and mercy. The same Jesus is inviting us to transform the stones that the others thrown at us in ignorance and in jealousy into the foundation stone for the construction of Christian life. It is a great task of our faith. We are capable of doing this because we are immersed in the love of Jesus. It is not impossible. We only need to apply what we learn from the faith to our personal and Christian attitude. Instead of hills of stone, we will have a beautiful castle of Christian life.
Monday, March 18, 2013
FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE LENT - YEAR C
FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE LENT – YEAR C:
(Is 43:16-21; Phil 3:8-14; John 8:1-11)
Theme: Let Us Transform the Stones of Accusation Into the Construction of Christian Life
Reflection:
We Are Running Towards Our Destiny of Easter
- Only Few More Days: We are in the fifth Sunday of the Lent. We are coming closer to the great joy of the Easter. Not a long way to go. Only few days more. We will be in the bosom of that Joy that will last forever. We have been making this Lenten journey: the pilgrimage of spiritual renewal. We must have seen lot of difficulty and great amount of fatigue in the four-week Lenten walk we have done. Apart from this, there must have been also moment of sincere sacrifice and constant prayer which have been our companions on our path. This is the great courage and consolation we have: we are not all alone in our journey, for we have a Great Companion Jesus Christ himself, our Lord and Master. Though we are faced with the few hindrances on our way, it is He who helps us to get along the road. In fact, he never promised a road full of roses but full of stones and thorns. He himself walks before us, paving and preparing the way for us, because he is the Way and the way he places us on is the Way Of the Cross. This is the reason why the Way of the Cross does not belong only to the Lenten Season, but to each and every second of our life, both human and Christian. The only promise he assures us is this: Once we walk through this way, we are certain to participate in the destiny of it, and the destiny is the Eternal Joy. Eternal joy is not just a joy which comes after this life. Joy can be eternal if we learn to tread the difficult path, which is normal and common to the fragile human nature, with faith, hope and charity. When we learn to walk in the way of the cross, we will be empowered, not with the joy of escaping the passion, but with the strength of facing it without fear, always bearing in mind the fruit that will be ours afterwards. The fruit is the Joy. Our forty day Lenten journey is only an initiation which can become or which actually becomes Our Life’s Journey. It may become a journey of three hundred and sixty five days. But we do not fear because we have learnt to walk the path without any difficulty with our companion, Jesus, as our guide.
- A Run Towards The Destiny: Our Lenten journey is a course of running towards the Joy of the Resurrection. In fact, St. Paul reminds us that we are running towards the end where a prize is prepared for us. His words are the exhortation for us: ‘I do not think that I have already won the prize or I have already arrived to the perfection; I force myself to run to win it, because I have been conquered by Jesus Christ. Brothers, I do not think that I have already reached it. I know only this: I will forget the past and proceed towards the future; I will run towards the end to arrive at the prize that God calls us to receive there, in Jesus Christ’ (Phil 3:12-14). Let us remember that Paul is writing to the Philippians from the prison. His letter contains the message of joy of being a Christian even in the greatest sufferings of our life. We do not worry of the past, because we have already learnt from it and we have crossed it. Our Christian hope leads us towards the future because a room is prepared for us by our Lord. Between the past and the future we need to lead the life in the faith which makes us go all along without any discouragement and preoccupation: it is a journey towards a destiny and we need to run. We need to run with the joy of conquering the premium that Jesus preserves for us. We should not miss the possibility. We should not lose the prize. Above all, we should not refuse the gift of life that Jesus wants to share with us. Therefore, our Christian life is “a running towards the prize of eternal life”. It is within our reach. We need to open the eyes to see it. We need to extend our hands to touch it. We need to open the heart to reach it and to embrace it. Let us remember again that in our running there is always Jesus who feeds us with the word of encouragement and with the food of will power and commitment. Let us fix our heart on the prize. Let us run towards it with the joy.
Readings:
God’s Mercy Invites the Fallen Heart to the Renewal
- Confrontation – The Context: The gospel passage is the central message for today. The first thing that needs attention is its context. The context is the similar to that of the last Sunday. The context appears as the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus is spreading the good news of salvation. His words are kind and merciful. His invitation of God’s love is extended to all without any barriers. His miracles of healing have drawn the attention of the people. The number of the people who put their confidence in Jesus is increasing. They flock to Jesus both for listening to his message and for getting some favor in one way or the other. The name of Jesus is becoming famous. People start preferring to follow Jesus and to stay with him, and to take his words. The gospel passages of both Sundays, last Sunday and today, reveal the truth that crowds of people come to listen to him. Meanwhile the condition of the religious leaders, or the doctors of the law, is becoming pathetic. Their laws and their words are becoming meaningless and senseless in the light of Jesus new law of love. They develop a kind of jealousy towards Jesus. They are frightened also losing their place in the society and power in the leadership. With the jealousy and with the fear they want to trap Jesus and make him quit from the predication. They have tried many a time before with their words and with their gestures. But every time Jesus has either won the argument they put forward or escape from them because of their incredulity. This time they come with the living case through which they intend to trap him. The case they bring is the woman caught in adultery.
- The Trap of the Law: The Pharisees and Sadducees are very confident this time that they can trap Jesus with the law given by God Himself through Moses. For them the law is more precious than anything else. They place the woman sinner in front of Jesus and throw their arrow to him. They call him “Master!”. Already with their referring Jesus as the Master, they want to put Jesus between the Law of Moses and the law of love he is proclaiming. They think that their question is sharper and that Jesus will be in the dilemma to answer it and they can accuse him. Their well prepared question is this: ‘Master! this woman is caught in adultery. Moses has commanded us to stone a woman of such kind. And, you, what do you say about this?’ Jesus would have very well answered: ‘you are the doctors of the law; you know better about the situation; you know also what has to be done in this conditions; so why do you bring her to me; just apply the law also to her.’ Jesus would have said like this and escaped the situation. They would have respected Jesus for obeying the law of Moses and they would have gone back with joy of winning over him. BUT NO. The intention and the mission of Jesus is not to escape the situation but to preserve and perfect the situation.
- Jesus preserves and perfects the Law: They wanted to trap Jesus with the law of Moses. Yet, Jesus does not allow himself to be trapped. No, he does not bend to their question and to their sharp arrow. In fact, he is aware of two things. First, he is aware of the Law given by God through Moses. The law is always to create an order in the society and to correct and to elevate man in his human dignity. He respect such law and he does not want that such law is misinterpreted. Second, he also knows that these so called doctors of the law have neglected the essence of the law and changed it to their advantage and favor. Knowing what they talking about and knowing why they are talking like this, Jesus does not speak a word. He just bends down and writes on the ground. What he writes on the ground is not known well. But already the gesture of bending and writing on the ground signify two characteristics: the one who writes on the ground is the master of the situation and he is not interested at all of what is happening around him for that moment. It shows that Jesus takes the situation into his hands. He is not interested in their question and in their attitude. He just bypasses by doing what he likes without answering them even a word. They get annoyed with the behavior of Jesus. Their intention is different: they want to make Jesus talk against the law of Moses and want to fool him in front of the people. They insist him to respond. Jesus is aware that they are trying all the possible means to make him speak something. He gets up, looks at them and asks them only one thing: ‘who among you is without sin, let him throw the first stone on her’. Jesus does not add a word or remove a word. He says this and again he holds the situation in his hand by writing on the ground. They become silent. They did not expect an answer like this. They are confused. They do not know what to respond. Jesus do not insist them. He knows that his arrow is more sharper than theirs. Their arrow is one edged but his is doubled edged. With lot of discouragement they leave the place one by one. Jesus does not allow them to misuse the law given by God. The law is needed not for condemning but to correct the person. He preserves the law from their misuse. Further, he perfects the law of Moses with the ingredients of love and mercy. Love for the person must surpass the law. This is the new teaching the Jesus brings to the world.
- Interaction – The Content: The Pharisees and Sadducees have tried to make the woman caught in adultery as the central part of the entire scene. But for Jesus, the sinner woman is not the point of focus. His changes the focal point. He makes the law perfected with love as the central message. When Jesus has changed the whole scene taking it into his hands as the master, no one remained. All those who have come to trap him disappear. Now there remain only Jesus and the accused woman and of course the crowds that have come to listen to him. The attitude of Jesus is very particular. He does not deliver long discourses in the situations of this kind. He speaks just a single word. His interaction is more of mercy than of mere words. Already with his loving presence he wins the situation and purifies the sinner. Jesus asks the woman: ‘where are they? No one has condemned you?”. The woman already enters into the sphere of Jesus’ love. She recognizes him as the Master and the Lord. In fact, she calls him: ‘Lord’. She says: ‘No one, Lord’. The words that come from Jesus’ mouth are very sweet and at the same time very admonishing: ‘I will not condemn you either; go and do not sin anymore’. His words are sweet because they contain the message of pardon and love; they purify her from inside and make her acceptable person in the society. He does not encourage either the sin. He condemns the sin but he pardons the sinner. He admonishes the woman not to get into the same kind of situation by sinning again. In other words, he invites her to live a new life in God’s love and mercy. He reminds her of her dignity of being God’s loving child. The interaction between Jesus and the sinner woman is the content of the gospel passage. In the presence of Jesus, in the context of salvation he brings, the sin has no more power and the sinner becomes transformed and renewed creature. This is the message of the first reading of today: God promises to make everything new and renewal of human beings takes its realization in the person and in the mission of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
Stones Thrown At Us – A Corner Stone For The Construction Of Christian life
- Let Us Not Throw A Stone At Others: The message that is offered to us by the reflection of today is very simple, yet profound. We need to learn not to throw a stone at anyone. Jesus invites us not to accuse anyone who wrongs against us. We need to change this kind of attitude. If we start throwing stones at the fault of others, our bags will be full of stones rather than other things. We need to remember the truth that “the measure we measure with is the same measure we will be measured” and further, “if we judge others, we will also be judged by others”. Message of Jesus is clear: Do not accuse and you will not accused; do not throw a stone and you will not be thrown a stone; you give and the same way you receive. The same content is expressed elsewhere: ‘the one who has a big log in his eye is not in the position of removing a small thing that is in the eyes of the other’. Jesus says: You, Hypocrite! First Remove the log from your eyes and you will be able to see clearly the eye of your neighbor. Therefore, let us not throw any stone at others.
- Let Us Transform The Stones Into The Construction: As Christians we do not accuse anyone and we do not throw any stone at others. This does not mean that we do not receive any stones at all. The insults, the accuses and the abusive attitudes will be thrown at us. We need to face lot of incomprehension and will be condemned. But we have also an answer: an answer of mercy and love. We need to become the masters of the situation: not that we need to become indifferent but we need to act differently. We need to demonstrate an attitude of care and concern towards our enemies or towards those who throw stones at us. Not easy. Yet it is not impossible. Jesus is Our Master and Model for us in this. He has answered all the insults and accusations with the humility and mercy. The same Jesus is inviting us to transform the stones that the others thrown at us in ignorance and in jealousy into the foundation stone for the construction of Christian life. It is a great task of our faith. We are capable of doing this because we are immersed in the love of Jesus. It is not impossible. We only need to apply what we learn from the faith to our personal and Christian attitude. Instead of hills of stone, we will have a beautiful castle of Christian life.
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