What a contrast between the cruelty of the scribes and Pharisees and the compassion of Jesus in our Gospel (John 8:1-11). The scribes and Pharisees had no regard for the woman. They were only interested in using her to try to trap Jesus. She was a pawn in their game of chess. They had no regard for the fact that possibly she did not initiate the sin, perhaps it was the man.
But Jesus is full of compassion. He restored the woman again, in two ways. He restored her spiritually by forgiving her, telling her he did not condemn her, while also insisting that she not sin again, and he restored her to society by saving her life.
No one knows what Jesus wrote on the ground, but some people suspect Jesus wrote the sins of the scribes and Pharisees. Notice also that it was the elders in the group who went away first. The elders had committed more sins, those who had lived longer had more to be sorry about in their own lives.
The woman received forgiveness from Jesus and also received her life back again. Notice Jesus’ last words to the woman, “go away and don’t sin anymore.” (John 8:11) Although Jesus has forgiven her sin he expects her to live a life of grace and union with God from now on by not sinning anymore.
Jesus doesn’t say that sin does not matter because sin does matter and damages our relationship with God. So, Jesus says, “go away and don’t sin anymore.” When we receive Jesus’ forgiveness he expects us to live as new people afterward.
That is precisely the attitude with which we are to come to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It would make no sense to come to confess our sins if we intended to continue committing the same sins again.
In our human weakness we may commit the same sin again, but as we come to confession if we do not intend to amend our lives then surely we cannot say that we are truly sorry for our sins.
Surely, we can only genuinely say that we are truly sorry for our sins if we have a firm intention not to commit sin again. If we could see into our souls and see the damage our sin causes to our souls, and to the whole Church, we would flee from committing sin.
To better illuminate this idea, I would like read an excerpt of a letter written by Jacques Fesch to his mother before his execution which took place by guillotine in France on the 1st of October, 1957. The 27-year-old was beheaded for murder shortly after he bungled an armed robbery three years earlier (February 25th 1954). He underwent a conversion experience while on death row and the publication of his letters touched many, especially young people. Cardinal Lustiger of Paris signed a decree that may one day see Jacques declared “Blessed.”
This is part of Jacques’ letter,
“This execution which frightens you is nothing compared to what awaits sinners in the next world.
It is not for me you should weep but for sinners who offend God.
As for me, I am happy Jesus is calling me to himself and great graces have been given me.
If you could only taste for a single instant the sweetness of the transports of divine love and could realize the absolute gravity of the slightest offense.
God must come first, do not forget it.
He calls you and believes in you, you are rich in his love.
Many souls are linked with yours and you will have an account to render.
You must go to Christ without whom you can do nothing.
If you seek him you will find him.
But you must seek him with all your heart.
Above all do not seek your own will, but His.”
As I said, if we could see into our souls and see the damage our sin causes to our souls, and to the whole Church as the body of Christ, we would flee from committing sin and Jacques’ letter reminds us of the horror of sin.
Jesus said to the woman not to sin again and since sin is so horrible and horrific we need to take steps to ensure that we do not sin again because otherwise, we will gradually drift again into the same sin.
Among the Native Americans, there is a story of a father who said there were two wolves fighting within him, one bad and one good.
His son asked which wolf wins and the father said whichever one he feeds the most.
Sin begins in the mind.
We need to feed our minds with what is good instead of what is bad. Technology in many forms, in TV, internet sites, and so many other ways, often feed our minds with bad stuff that leads us toward sin. Sin begins in the mind, from there it moves on to become an action, from there it moves on to become a lifestyle, habits are formed, and then it affects us in eternity.
Jesus said not to sin again.
We need to begin by feeding our minds with what is good instead of with what is trash, rubbish, evil, and sinful.
I challenge you, as I challenge myself… This Lent and before Easter, make a commitment to go to confession if you have not already done so, and then to regularly go to confession
.
To stop exposing our minds to things that draw us to sin. To expose and fill our minds with what is good, holy, and honest. And to pray, especially right now, that God helps us to understand how sin darkens our soul, separates us from Him, harms His entire Church, and that through His grace, and only through His grace, that we can be healed, strengthened, and will be able to avoid temptation and to sin no more.
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