I find it interesting that twelve years ago on the fifth Sunday of Lent, it was the first Sunday of Pope Francis’ pontificate and in the first reading that Sunday, as today, the prophet Isaiah told us that God said “see I am doing something new!”
And on this Sunday, amid all of the chaos, disgrace and scandal in our country, the Gospel tells us of a woman caught in the midst of adultery, (my question is: where is the man?)…dragged through the streets, demeaned and “disgraced,” screamed at and taunted knowing all the time that she was about to be stoned to death!
Undoubtedly, she could feel the intense violent energy of the crowd that was gathering around her. How desperate she must have felt knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it. And yet, Jesus stopped it…drawing in the sand, some scholars say…writing out the sins of the very people who had condemned her and were about to stone her. About to stone her, supposedly all “in the name of God.”
Jesus told the religious leaders they had it wrong…ultimately challenging “their reading of laws” that demanded such violence. Asking for the one among them without sin to cast the first stone. But none dared for they themselves were all sinners as Jesus was pointing out as he wrote their sins in the sand.
There has been much written about this Gospel story, about it being a story of second chances…that it is a story of new beginnings. We know that scripture abounds with stories of the lavish forgiveness God pours forth upon us, about God putting our “sin as far from us as the east is from the west.” Stories about us always being able to start over, to start anew with God. This is, after all, the whole role and meaning of the sacrament of reconciliation. A new start, a new beginning!
Some scholars argue about the final line of this Gospel we hear today, as most translations have Jesus saying “neither do I condemn you, be on your way and sin no more.” However, scholars point out that some ancient Greek texts do not actually contain the Greek words that would be translated “sin no more” but rather these ancient texts in question use an archery term that means “to take better aim.”
It would seem then that Jesus encouraged the woman to be on her way and to take better aim with her life.
Perhaps this is a moment in the church for us all to “take better aim” with our lives -- to be more intentional in the way we choose to live our day to day lives. And most certainly, we as a nation, need to reassess the aim of this current government administration and call upon all our elected officials to “take better aim” with how they are governing and what they are prioritizing in their legislation and political agendas.
Perhaps it was no coincidence that on the first Sunday of Pope Francis’ pontificate, the Gospel story was about a “woman”
demeaned and disgraced, about to be violently murdered -- a Gospel story about the place and treatment of women in Jesus’ culture and society, and Jesus’ refusal to participate in the systematic oppression, misogyny and violent treatment of women.
I believe that this Gospel story in fact call us to question the place and status of women in the church and in the world! Perhaps there is a lesson here for all of us, especially men and in particular the clergy and religious leaders!
In today’s Gospel…just as Jesus challenged the “law” and the religious leaders…so too, we are called to do the same!
We live – still – in a world where women are bought and sold; where they are leered at but not listened to; where true lasting and substantive justice and equality remain denied to women and especially women of color. It was all on full display these past years as more women run for significant political office -- their abilities are questioned in ways that their male counterparts are not. All we need do is think back to the Senate confirmation hearings for then Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s appointment to the US Supreme Court.
And while the official church has been vocal on civil and human rights abuses of women around the world, she still struggles in making just and more meaningful roles for women within the church.
We need to ask ourselves, especially those of us who are men: how do I treat girls and women in my life? What do I really think about the role of women in church, politics and society in general? Do my views on women and their role and place in church and society truly reflect Gospel values as presented by Jesus? What would Jesus think about my views and attitudes towards girls and women?
As we move forward, let us all “try to take better aim” in our daily lives in how we treat and value one another.
Lenten Blessings,
Fr T
And on this Sunday, amid all of the chaos, disgrace and scandal in our country, the Gospel tells us of a woman caught in the midst of adultery, (my question is: where is the man?)…dragged through the streets, demeaned and “disgraced,” screamed at and taunted knowing all the time that she was about to be stoned to death!
Undoubtedly, she could feel the intense violent energy of the crowd that was gathering around her. How desperate she must have felt knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it. And yet, Jesus stopped it…drawing in the sand, some scholars say…writing out the sins of the very people who had condemned her and were about to stone her. About to stone her, supposedly all “in the name of God.”
Jesus told the religious leaders they had it wrong…ultimately challenging “their reading of laws” that demanded such violence. Asking for the one among them without sin to cast the first stone. But none dared for they themselves were all sinners as Jesus was pointing out as he wrote their sins in the sand.
There has been much written about this Gospel story, about it being a story of second chances…that it is a story of new beginnings. We know that scripture abounds with stories of the lavish forgiveness God pours forth upon us, about God putting our “sin as far from us as the east is from the west.” Stories about us always being able to start over, to start anew with God. This is, after all, the whole role and meaning of the sacrament of reconciliation. A new start, a new beginning!
Some scholars argue about the final line of this Gospel we hear today, as most translations have Jesus saying “neither do I condemn you, be on your way and sin no more.” However, scholars point out that some ancient Greek texts do not actually contain the Greek words that would be translated “sin no more” but rather these ancient texts in question use an archery term that means “to take better aim.”
It would seem then that Jesus encouraged the woman to be on her way and to take better aim with her life.
Perhaps this is a moment in the church for us all to “take better aim” with our lives -- to be more intentional in the way we choose to live our day to day lives. And most certainly, we as a nation, need to reassess the aim of this current government administration and call upon all our elected officials to “take better aim” with how they are governing and what they are prioritizing in their legislation and political agendas.
Perhaps it was no coincidence that on the first Sunday of Pope Francis’ pontificate, the Gospel story was about a “woman”
demeaned and disgraced, about to be violently murdered -- a Gospel story about the place and treatment of women in Jesus’ culture and society, and Jesus’ refusal to participate in the systematic oppression, misogyny and violent treatment of women.
I believe that this Gospel story in fact call us to question the place and status of women in the church and in the world! Perhaps there is a lesson here for all of us, especially men and in particular the clergy and religious leaders!
In today’s Gospel…just as Jesus challenged the “law” and the religious leaders…so too, we are called to do the same!
We live – still – in a world where women are bought and sold; where they are leered at but not listened to; where true lasting and substantive justice and equality remain denied to women and especially women of color. It was all on full display these past years as more women run for significant political office -- their abilities are questioned in ways that their male counterparts are not. All we need do is think back to the Senate confirmation hearings for then Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s appointment to the US Supreme Court.
And while the official church has been vocal on civil and human rights abuses of women around the world, she still struggles in making just and more meaningful roles for women within the church.
We need to ask ourselves, especially those of us who are men: how do I treat girls and women in my life? What do I really think about the role of women in church, politics and society in general? Do my views on women and their role and place in church and society truly reflect Gospel values as presented by Jesus? What would Jesus think about my views and attitudes towards girls and women?
As we move forward, let us all “try to take better aim” in our daily lives in how we treat and value one another.
Lenten Blessings,
Fr T
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