Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040719-yearc.cfm
Let me share this short poem with you: "How I wish that there was some wonderful place Called the Land of Beginning Again,
Where all our mistakes and all out heartaches And all our poor selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door,
And never put on again." [Barclay Commentary John 8:1-11]
That is really the essential message of Lent, having the courage to enter the “ Land of Beginning Again”. We begin this 5th week of Lent with ?s
Jesus asked the woman, “…where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
Jesus asks us this Lent to look at our lives and to review them in terms of living His Gospel Message.
“Jesus really means what He said at the Last Supper: ‘Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where Thou art going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.’” [Meditations Before Mass, Romano Guardini, p.147]
Lent is the call, the reminder that Jesus is the “Way, the Truth and the Life.”
In 1967 Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty starred
in the movie, “Bonnie & Clyde”, about two robbers & killers. This famous criminal couple faced death
together when the police caught them in 1934.
In our Gospel today only one adulterer is
brought to justice, where is her partner?
The scribes and the Pharisees were not seeking
justice and they were certainly not interested in mercy.
They wanted to trap Jesus either for
abrogating the Law of Moses or running afoul of the Romans by condemning her to
death. As you know Jesus declared that
the one without sin may cast the first stone, the crowd dwindles and goes away.
Today’s first reading reminds us that the Lord
will put His spirit in us, that is our Purpose in Life! St. Paul tells us that our life should be
focused on and centered on Jesus Christ!
The purpose of our existence is to discover that and put it into
practice.
St. Francis de Sales said it this way, “What is the prize
if it is not Jesus Christ? How can you
take hold of Him if you do not know Him?”
Think about the 10 Commandments, the Two Great
Commandments and the Beatitudes; are they the foundation of your life? Are they the center of all you say and do?
In the Gospel Jesus never ?s the charges
against the woman, He doesn’t ask for the man involved to be brought to
Him. Jesus sent her off, BUT with this
extremely important instruction, “Go and from now on do not sin any more.”
Lent challenges us to seek Forgiveness, and
invites us to the sacrament of Reconciliation so we can hear, “Go your sins are
forgiven and do not sin any more.”
Jesus wants us to know He will hold us
accountable, He offers mercy and justice.
Reflect on the Last Judgment in Matthew’s
Gospel, Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. When you helped (physically, emotionally,
spiritually or financially) one of the least - you did it for me. When you did not help one of the least, you
did not help me. You know the rest of
that story!
Lent is a time for us to examine our
lives. Jesus gives us the grace to be
His faithful disciples, we need to accept that grace and let it form us.
For a few minutes, in silence, think about the
“Land of Beginning Again” - you can there by attending our Penance Service next
week & receiving the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation; maybe it is
your time to “Begin Again!”
May God Be Praised!
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