Gospel: John 8:1-11
The three pillars of the Lenten journey are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. However, we often associate fasting with food – giving up candy, dessert, or soda. Fasting, though, can take many forms. For example, limiting our time spent on social media, watching TV, abstaining from coffee, or refraining from engaging in gossip. In today’s Gospel we see another type of fasting – refraining from judging others.
A woman was caught in adultery and brought to Jesus. The angry crowd demanded that she be stoned to death in accordance with Mosaic Law. The religious leaders asked Jesus for His opinion on the matter to trap Him. Jesus’ response was simple and direct. Drawing a proverbial line in the sand, He told those gathered to have the person without sin cast the first stone. Of course, Jesus was the only sinless person there and condemning people is not His way of doing things.
Gradually the crowd dispersed, and Jesus was left alone with the woman. Rather than dying a horrible death by stoning, the woman was invited by Jesus to die to her old way of life and begin a new life of freedom from the sins weighing her down. This is a freedom we all need and Jesus invites us as well. If there is a particular sin weighing us down, then Lent is the perfect time to shed that burden. It’s not too late!
Sister Marcella Louise Wallowicz CSFN
