Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 3, 2022 •
He not only knows all truth, He is all Truth. So you can't trap Him, you can't outsmart the Lord. . . .
How beautiful and brilliant our Lord is in this passage, in defending and protecting this woman, and turning these evil men's intentions upon themselves. But that's not the point of the story at all. In the end, it's the beautiful exchange between our Lord and the woman caught in adultery.
He turns to her and says, "Woman, where are your accusers? Is anyone here to condemn you?" She says, "No one, sir." Then He says, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on, do not sin anymore." You can imagine the humiliation and shame this woman must have felt; not only being caught in this sin, but then being publicly humiliated.
And here is our Lord, not only defending and protecting her. But forgiving her, and sending her on her way. In the eyes of all the people, our Lord was able to justify her.
This is the reason Christ has come, the reason we're celebrating this holy season and, in a few weeks, the Passion of our Lord. Because He wants to save us from sin. From the shame of it, from the humiliation of it, from the damnation of it.
He did not come to accuse us, but to redeem us.
But that's only His first coming, He Himself taught that when he comes in glory, He will not come with mercy. He will come with judgement and accusation. He will take all people, of all time, and He will judge them. Publicly. Bringing up every unforgiven sin.
You think you feel shame for your sins now? Just wait till the final judgement. They will be made known to everyone.
There is only one way to assure ourselves of protection against that final judgement. And that is the mercy He offers us now. Our Lord through His death and resurrection has given us the sacraments of His Church to forgive us of sin. If we accuse ourselves of sin to Him - especially in the sacrament of confession - then He will not accuse us when He comes again in glory. . . .
Our Lord doesn't want to shame you. He wants to protect you. And He has designed the perfect way to do that. It requires, however, your humility. The beautiful gift of the sacrament of reconciliation, is that in the sure and certain knowledge that my sins are wiped away - never to be brought up again - I can go forth from that sacrament with peace in my heart. No fear. No anxiety. In fact, the Scriptures teach that God forgets the sins He forgives. So He can't bring them up to you again. He can't accuse you of them in the future, because He doesn't remember. The Blood of Christ has washed them away.
So if you haven't had the opportunity to go to confession since Lent has begun, you've still got two weeks left before Easter. . . . Meditate on all the humiliations He endured to forgive you of your sin. It will make it easier for you to endure the little humiliation of confessing them.
Is 43:16-21; Ps 126:1-6; Phil 3:8-14; Jn 8:1-11
Homily begins at 19:12