Fifth Sunday in Lent , 21 March 2010

Often it is that when at our lowest that God acts most powerfully in our lives. The Israelite people during the Babylonian captivity were all but broken in spirit. They could not see a way back home. They thought about how God had acted so powerfully in their past, but where was He now? The prophet Isaiah had the difficult task of rekindling hope among them. He reminds them of how God in the past delivered them from Egypt and would again bring them home from exile.

When we are down and broken, we need someone who offers us hope in the midst of our despair. Isaiah says something on God’s behalf that is great for the people and for us to hear – “See, I am doing a new deed, even now it comes to light, can you not see it?” God is always doing new things in our world and in our lives. Often, I don’t see them. What has been in the past, I presume must be in the future. Suddenly, God breaks into my life in a new way and exciting possibilities open up before me. Can you think of anytime that God brought a person or something new into your life that made the future brighter?

For the Israelites, God cuts a road into the wilderness and so provides a path of escape. God will put water into the wilderness as well as flowing rivers. That is how God works with his people. He is always providing new opportunities for them. This and more is in the 1 st Reading.

The woman who was caught in adultery was at a low point in her life. The man with her must have escaped, because there is no mention of him being dragged before Jesus. The woman, whose name we don’t know, must have been embarrassed beyond words. Moses in the Law had made it quite clear (Deut 22:22-23) that the punishment was stoning to death. There was no debate about that for scribes and Pharisees. Before executing the woman as the Law prescribed they decided to test Jesus by asking His opinion. The scribes and Pharisees could not visualise how Jesus would get of this dilemma. They could barely contain their glee as they awaited His response.

Then they got a shock. Jesus said nothing for a while and then He bent down and started writing on the ground with His finger. What in the name of God is He at? They kept asking Him for an answer. Slowly, Jesus looked up and quietly said that if there were any of them who had not sinned, that person could be the first to throw a stone. Silence reigned. Back down again Jesus bends and continues writing. It doesn’t matter what He was writing. The crowd had time to think.

One by one they slink away beginning with the eldest. There is just the woman and Jesus left. As if surprised, he asks her about the accusing crowd. Waiting for Jesus condemnation, she can hardly believe her ears, “Neither do I condemn you.” He calls her to repentance and a better way of life, “Go away and don’t sin anymore”. That is what Lent is about.

Sometimes God gets a bad press as if condemnation was His only response. The opposite is the case. “For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world but the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17)

Aidan Troy, C.P. [Aodhn Troighthigh, C.P.]