2025 4 6 homily Lent week 5 Jn 8 1-11
Focus: Importance of friendship with Jesus and mercy
Our Old Testament reading is from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah writing 700 years before the birth of Christ is predicting the coming of Jesus.
Let’s listen to what he said, springs in the desert, water for the thirsty. Tears at night, joy in the morning
God is doing something new in his son Jesus Christ.
Our New Testament reading is from Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Saint Paul tells us that What he used to do is not worth anything compared to friendship with Jesus
Let’s listen to St Paul’s words, words inspired by God: “I consider everything a loss (compared) to the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake, / I have accepted the loss of all things, and I consider them so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” (Philippians 3:7-9)
SLIDE:
Picture of trash can
Paul had a good job. He was well educated. He was highly thought of. But prior to Jesus coming into his life he considers everything else a loss all rubbish compared to friendship with Jesus.
This was also true for me. I also had a good job and was well educated. I remember before selling my house, my late wife’s brother, said don’t sell the house. He said what if becoming a priest doesn’t work out.
Everything we have is passing away. Nothing here is permanent. The only thing that is permanent is eternal life with Jesus Christ.
Someone put it this way. Everything is a game. Basically life is one big monopoly game. The only thing that is important, is loving God and loving others. And the word used for love most frequently in the Bible is agape, which means laying down our will for the other. That’s why the cross is the supreme sign of love.
In the second half of Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians he says that he is not reached perfection yet. St Paul was still under construction.
SLIDE:
Under construction slide
If Saint Paul wasn’t perfect, what does that say about us?
St John Paul II went to confession once a week and he was a saint. What does that say about us?
The answer is in our gospel reading
In our Gospel reading the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman who has been caught in adultery. The first question is where is the man? Clearly, we don’t have impartial judgment here.
They brought the woman to Jesus since he was known as being merciful. They want to test Jesus. They tell Jesus that the law of Moses commanded us to stone such women, so what do you say?
Jesus says, let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. At that moment, Jesus does something he does no other place in the New Testament. He starts to write up upon the ground.
Scholars guess that he was writing out sins in the sand In any case, the accusers walk away one by one beginning with the elders. Jesus is finally left alone with the woman. Jesus says to the woman has no one condemned you? She replied no one, then Jesus said, neither do I condemn you go, from now on go and sin no more.
The reason St Paul said he was not perfect
The reason St. John Paul II went to confession once a week
The reason all the accusers walked away when told the one with no sin could cast the first stone is no one is perfect, not even the people in the front row.
No one is without sin, we are all sinners. And so Jesus came for all of us. We all need Jesus.
SLIDE:
No one is perfect
We are all sinners
However, many of us don’t realize that we are all sinners. The attitude of many people is I’m OK you’re OK. I’ve mentioned several times of what I was thinking when my wife and I got back together and we were attending our first marriage counseling meeting with a new marriage counselor.
could I see a show of hands how many recall that story. OK so let me share it again it was 36 years ago I was age 34 I remember like it was yesterday. But I never told my wife. The marriage counselor says the only person you can change is yourself and I’m thinking to myself this is going to be the biggest total waste of time. How many people here know why I was thinking that. Could I see a show of hands.
I was thinking that I was perfect and it was all my wife’s problem that we weren’t getting along. I soon found out through counseling that I had a lot of problems and I’ve spent many years in counseling working through those issues.
The problem of viewing ourselves as perfect and others as wrong is quite common. The psychological reason is confirmation bias, perfectionism and a need for self validation.
So, we all have work to do. We are all still under construction
SLIDE:
Picture of under construction slide
But here is the good news. Jesus is merciful. If we turn from our sin Jesus will forgive us.
Jesus puts mercy over judgment James 2:13. However to receive that mercy we are called to place mercy over judgment.
Homework For discussion
If the man or woman in our gospel reading was your husband or wife would you forgive them? Or if not married, how would you advise a relative or friend in a similar situation.
And just to point how common this situation is. Psychologists estimate that 20 to 50% of all divorce cases involve a spouse being unfaithful.
