GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,

and all the people started coming to him,

and he sat down and taught them.

Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman

who had been caught in adultery

and made her stand in the middle.

They said to him,

“Teacher, this woman was caught

in the very act of committing adultery.

Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.

So what do you say?”

They said this to test him,

so that they could have some charge to bring against him.

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.

But when they continued asking him,

he straightened up and said to them,

“Let the one among you who is without sin

be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.

And in response, they went away one by one,

beginning with the elders.

So he was left alone with the woman before him.

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,

“Woman, where are they?

Has no one condemned you?”

She replied, “No one, sir.”

Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.

Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” 

The word of the Lord

 

It became a sin

It is very likely that the woman had been caught in adultery by her own husband, and he would be the one to condemn her so that she could be stoned.

He was willing to live without his wife rather than tolerate her sin.

The question today is: What is stronger, blaming my husband/wife for his/her sins or my love for him/her?

For Christ, there is no doubt, because He has demonstrated that He became sin out of love for His Wife.

 

Applied to Married Life:

Thomas: Lord, my wife has offended me by questioning my love for her without a valid reason. Allow me to do penance for the forgiveness of her offense, united to Your Sacrifice of salvation.

Agnes: Lord, my husband has scorned me by mocking my devotion. Allow me to do penance for the forgiveness of his offense, united to Your Sacrifice of salvation.

(And so both were justified by the love of their spouse.)

 

Mother,

May our sin be a reason to love one another more. Praise be to our Savior.