Periodically, my wife accuses me of selective listening; especially when it concerns a point she is trying to make about something that I choose not to hear. My usual excuse for not hearing her, if I am still asked to respond, is that my tinnitus is so loud I couldn’t quite make out what she said. In my defense, that is often true, but it doesn’t excuse me from not responding in some fashion.
Our Gospel reading from St. John about the woman charged with adultery reminds me how manipulation is often used when one is trying to obfuscate the truth about something so they have an advantage. In this case, the usual culprits, Pharisees and scribes, are accusing a woman unjustly because they do not bring with them the man who also was involved.
What’s so sad about this aspect of the story is that the religious leaders then had so little respect for the wellbeing of humans. They were willing to kill someone by stoning to prove a point that will condemn Jesus and let the other guilty party go free. Their brand of justice refutes the love, mercy and forgiveness of God with doling out judgment without merit.
Judgment seems to be a first choice of many people who don’t want to solve a problem that would be best for all concerned. Their perspective of self-righteousness doesn’t allow for openness to reconciliation. The idea of admitting they may also have been wrong in some way blocks a path to seeking what is best for all concerned. Instead of allowing a resolution in a timely manner, the situation continues to fester to a point where there may never be a solution or a compromise.
Jesus’ pronouncement that one “who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” is a loud and clear message to all that we need to reverse our decision of rejecting God’s message of forgiveness. All of us are sinners and need to be forgiven for our thoughts, words and actions. If we take the hard road of standing our ground, we are in essence challenging God’s love for all He has created.
The Pharisees and scribes realized, even in their self- righteousness to trap Jesus and be rid of Him, that they have sinned and are still doing so. Only God has the right to judge as a sinless being. In this case, Jesus does not condemn the woman charged with adultery but instead gives her a warning to sin no more.
Let us listen to today’s Gospel as a warning to us as well that though we are sinners, we will follow the ways of the Lord by reversing our negative outlook on situations that prevent us from being in relationship with God and all He has created.
Reading 1: Isaiah 43: 16-21
Reading 2: Philippians 3: 8-14
Gospel: John 8: 1-11
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