First Reading: Is 43:16-21; Psalm: 126. R.v.3; Second Reading: Phil 3:8-14; Gospel: Jn 8:1-11

IF WE LOOK INWARDS, WE WILL DROP THE STONE

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP 

What was Jesus doodling over the ground in our gospel story of today? A woman accused of adultery was brought to him in the full view of her accusers. Her accusers who happened to be the scribes and Pharisees needed the verdict of Jesus as to whether he agrees with the Mosaic law that condemns such act by stoning (Lev 20:10; Dt 22:22). But as we observed, Jesus instead of responding, crouched down and doodles. For centuries, there have been speculations as to what Jesus was writing. One suggestion was that Jesus was writing down the sins of the woman’s accusers. Another was that Jesus was putting together his verdict before speaking. But these are all speculations since what Jesus actually wrote was not disclosed in the narrative.

But another question that might help us to begin to make sense of this action of Jesus is: Why was Jesus doodling? If what Jesus wrote is unknown to us; his silence is not. While Jesus crouched down doodling, he did it silently. He hesitated in his verdict. He was not quick to respond to the question thrown at him. And it was not as though he was lacking of what to say. Jesus knew what to say and how to say it. But he was silent. His silence as he doodles was not an evasive technique or ignorement. It was for the accusers of the woman. He was offering them some time to think and reflect not only on their individual lives but also on the very law they were eager to implement.

Leviticus 20:10 says, “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbour, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.” So, if this law must be followed, where then is the adulterer? If they genuinely reflected, they should see their skewed approach to this very matter. But most importantly, the silence of Jesus was an invitation for a personal examination of conscience. Because the accusers of this woman were all after what the law condemns as it relates to the dealings of others but not conscious of what their consciences condemn as it pertains to their individual lives and actions. But they were impervious and unreflective and pressed further to hear from Jesus.

Jesus then straightened up and said, “Let anyone who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her?” And once again, Jesus crouched down and doodles in silence. This time around it was as though Jesus raised a mirror to their faces that they began to see their sins. And one by one they dropped their stone and walked away quietly seeing how guilty they were. Lent is a time to observe some silence, examine our consciences and drop the stone.

When we hear people speak ill of others and asperse their good name, hesitate to join. When we hear rumours about a person and are tempted to spread it further, hold on a little. If we are specialized in digging out the secrets of others to disparage and hamper their ambitions, pause for a while. When you think that your spouse is the worse partner no one should pray for, save your conclusions. If we think a neighbour is not worthy of our friendship or association either for not going to Church or for being a non-Christian or a heathen, save your judgement. Jesus wants us to learn to pause a little on our judgement of others. And to reflect in silence on our individual lives before we throw stones. Perhaps, thereafter we might drop the stone and act differently.

Now, Jesus is not asking us to indulge evil. Evil must be condemned at all times. Jesus did so when he admonished the woman to go and not sin again. But what Jesus is saying is that if we learned silence, examine our consciences and acknowledge our sins; we won’t throw stones or vehemently attack a perceived sinner as though we are without sin.

There is often a part of us in what we condemn in others. What we perceive in people does not entirely define who or what they are. It is just a part of the whole. And this is why God believes in us. This is why God trusts in our future actions, not in our regrettable pasts.   

So, in this season of Lent, let us learn to drop the stone of judgement and condemnation. The stone of hatred and aspersion. The stone of prejudice and hasty conclusions. Let us begin to drop these stones, look inwardly, and seek true conversion rather than pick out the sins of others. For if we clenched to these stones, we will be shutting out repentance           

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord Jesus, we pray for the grace of reflective silence, that we may grow in love of you and in love of neighbour. Amen.