Monday – 5th Week of Lent

Gospel – John 8: 1-11

Forgive Me, Father

Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

Back when our daughter was in 6th Grade, I remember she was so excited about going to a grade school dance.  So we dropped her off that Friday night and then picked her up a few hours later.  End of story!  Well, not exactly!

About a week later, she comes into the living room and tells us –I need to talk to you; I have to tell you something and you won’t like it.  Uh oh, this is not good!  So she proceeds to tell us this story. “You know that dance I went to last week; well it was just for 7th and 8th graders.  Yeah, ok!  Well, I’m only a 6th grader.  I knew that ahead of time.  So I lied to you and I lied to get into the dance.”   

I kept waiting for more but that was it.  All that time, she was consumed with fear and disappointment and regret.  She was so upset about being dishonest; and she let it eat her up inside until she had to tell us.  Was she apologetic and remorseful?  Absolutely!  Did we punish her?  Absolutely not!  What punishment could we have possibly that would have matched the punishment she had already given to herself! 

This wasn’t just about repentance, reconciliation and forgiveness.  This was also about compassion.  And that is what the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery presents to us today.  Just look at Jesus’ words!  He doesn’t condemn her; He doesn’t yell at her or berate her.  He doesn’t even judge her!  He speaks with compassion and love, helps her to her feet and tells her, quite simply, to go and sin no more – change your life!

We live in such a mixed up world – quick to accuse and judge others and painfully slow to forgive!   But that is our lifelong challenge – not just to forgive but to do it with compassion and love!  None of us is without sin; all of us are in need of forgiveness and compassion. 

Great Spirit, show me today how to forgive without judging, how to love without measure!

 

 

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