5th Sunday of Lent

Written on: March 17, 2013

Sr. Mary Salvadore

Hopefully, we will never have to experience public humiliation and exposé as did the woman caught in adultery in today’s Gospel. There she stood, accused of adultery. Was she even guilty? Or, perhaps, was she taken forcibly? What about the man? Was he not also adulterous? No trial, no defense, no witness. No, the Law of Moses says she must be stoned to death.

According to John, though, it wasn’t so much about the woman but about the Scribes and Pharisees tricking Jesus into negating the Law. But Jesus, ever sensitive and gentle, turns the story around and makes it her story. Jesus makes it the story of each of us: you, me, the woman, even the Scribes and Pharisees. This story is about all of us because all of us are human and we all have our foibles and, perhaps, even sins. In this Gospel, Jesus condemned no one. He condemned neither the woman nor the Scribes and Pharisees.

Jesus knows each of us as frail human beings. Jesus knows us as children of God. Let us learn how sensitive and gentle God is with us. Today’s Responsorial Psalm says it all “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy”.

Sister Mary Salvadore has worked as a physical therapist helping others to regain physical strength and new life. As Assistant Coordinator at the Motherhouse, she focuses on the life of the sisters.

This entry was posted in From our Sisters and tagged: Forgiveness, Jesus, Lent, Sisters, Sunday, women religious