THE PERSPECTIVE OF SINNERS - 03/27/23 (Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent)

John 8:7

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032723.cfm

Blessed Monday! In the gospel reading for today, the Pharisees and the elders went to Jesus and told Him about the case of an adulterous woman. They told our Lord that she's a sinner, and because of this, she deserved to be stoned. But, was the adulterous woman the only sinner? In reality, even the Pharisees were sinners. All of us are sinners. We have sinner in the past, and we have the tendency to commit sin in the future because of our fallen human nature. This is why we need the grace of God and the proper perspective for us to do His will. But, to know the proper perspective that we should have, it's important for us to look at the two different perspectives here, the perspective of the Pharisees and the perspective of the adulterous woman. The Pharisees were motivated by pride and anger that they wanted to trap Jesus. They were looking for opportunities for Christ to contradict the Scriptures so that they had a valid reason to kill Him. Because of their pride, the Pharisees no longer looked at their own conscience, and they also humiliated the woman. What they could not see is that this prideful perspective caused them to be blind of their own sinfulness and the truth about Jesus. We can also belittle other people when we are unaware of our own weaknesses. May we learn to be humble and acknowledge that we are truly sinners. When we see the faults of other people, whether it's our family, friends or strangers, we should reflect on what we feel and think about them. If we see that we are angry or we have negative thoughts about them, let's reflect in our prayers why we feel this, and may we remember our own faults. This will help us be more compassionate with one another when we realize that we are also in need of compassion. 

After considering the mindset of the Pharisees, let's also reflect on the perspective of the adulterous woman. She felt humiliated and hurt because many people were looking down on her, and they wanted to kill her. But, what gave her strength and peace was when she heard the words of mercy from our Savior. She realized that God was always with her and on her side. She recognized that despite her sins, God loved her, and because of this, she acknowledged her need of repentance and conversion. In Jesus, she found hope. When we suffer and when we fall to sins, we may just look at ourselves thinking that we are alone. The truth is that God is always with us, and He is within us. Let's not be discouraged by our sins, but let's adopt the perspective of the adulterous woman. This is the perspective of trust. What do we feel when we see ourselves struggling in life or committing sins? Do we have negative feelings? Let's reflect in our prayer on the causes why we think and feel this way. And, may we remember the mercy of God for us. Even when we sin, God is pouring into our hearts His love, and it's by obeying Him that we can open our hearts to His mercy.  Parents should also give hope to their children and express their love for them even when their children commit mistakes. Let's take this perspective as we journey in this life because God will help us to pass from the life of sin to the life of grace in preparation for the glory that awaits us in His kingdom of heaven. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Fasting and Abstinence during Lent:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56337/fasting-and-abstinence-during-lent

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth