March 21: Study and Meditation on the Scripture Readings for this Sunday's Mass

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Except in relation to Jesus’ frequenting the Jewish temple in the course of his ministry, the the Catechism of the Catholic Church does not reference this week’s Gospel Reading. Possible related CCC references include the following:

1846 The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners.[113] The angel announced to Joseph: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”[114] The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”[115]

1847 “God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us.”[116] To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”[117]

**1848 **As St. Paul affirms, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”[118] But to do its work grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on us “righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”[119] Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and by his Spirit, casts a living light on sin:

Conversion requires convincing of sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof of the action of the Spirit of truth in man’s inmost being, becomes at the same time the start of a new grant of grace and love: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Thus in this “convincing concerning sin” we discover a double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of the certainty of redemption. The Spirit of truth is the Consoler.[120]

113 Cf. Lk 15.
114 Mt 1:21.
115 Mt 26:28.
116 St. Augustine, Sermo 169,11,13L 38,923.
117 1 Jn 8-9.
118 Rom 5:20.
119 Rom 5:21.
120 John Paul II, DeV 31 § 2.

1441 Only God forgives sins.[39] Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” and exercises this divine power: “Your sins are forgiven.”[40] Further, by virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name.[41]

**1442 **Christ has willed that in her prayer and life and action his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood. But he entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the “ministry of reconciliation.”[42] The apostle is sent out “on behalf of Christ” with “God making his appeal” through him and pleading: “Be reconciled to God.”[43]

39 Cf. Mk 2:7.
40 Mk 2:5,10; Lk 7:48.
41 Cf. Jn 20:21-23.
42 2 Cor 5:18.
43 2 Cor 5:20.

 

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From my weekly Scripture study (found here), here are some questions for personal reflection and application:

How is this situation a trap for Jesus? What would the Pharisees accuse Jesus of if he told them to let her go? If he told them to stone her? How does he spring the trap (verse 7)?

How would the woman just caught in adultery have felt? What was the significance of Jesus’ question in verse 10?

How does Jesus’ response to the woman exemplify “grace and truth” (John 1:17)? How does Jesus demonstrate by his words and actions that God is doing a “new thing” with the coming of the kingdom (see the First Reading)?

How does the way Jesus treated this woman help you face your sins?

Jesus accepts you “as is.” Does that free you to change, or does it support your bad behavior? How so?

What can you learn from Jesus about helping a friend who has fallen?

 

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A meditation for application from Catholic Matters:

**APPLICATION: **This incident of the merciful forgiveness of an adulteress by the Son of God has many lessons for all of us in this season of Lent. We are all sinners in greater or lesser degree. We all offend the good God in many ways. But, thank God, we are not dealing with the Scribes and Pharisees as our judges, but with a God of mercy, a God who knows and understands our weaknesses and frailties. No matter how many and how serious our sins may have been, no matter how low we may have fallen, the mercy and forgiveness of God is ever there for the asking.

But ask we must and repent we must, for not even the omnipotent and all-merciful God can take away from us the sin we want to keep. Who could be so foolish as not to accept the divine offer of mercy? Who could ever let his personal pride and selfishness put his own eternal happiness in jeopardy? There are probably people in hell, but if there are, it is not because of their sins that they are there. It is rather because they were too proud and too selfish to repent of them and ask God for his forgiveness.

A second lesson for all of us in today’s story is that we should try to imitate our divine Lord’s mercy by being more merciful and more compassionate towards sinners. Too many of us are inclined to judge too harshly and heartlessly the neighbor whose sins happen to become public, whilst we minimize our own failings because they are secret. Remember our Lord’s words to the Pharisees: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” Spreading scandal may be, and often is, a more grievous sin than the fall of a neighbor which we tell about with gusto whilst pretending to be seriously disgusted with his moral failing. Whilst we must hate sin in ourselves and others we must learn from our Lord to love the sinner even while disapproving of the sin. This love will be proved in part by our silence regarding his sin.

 

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A meditation from Don Schwager at Daily Reading and Meditation:

Meditation: Are you ready to be changed and transformed in Christlike holiness? God never withholds his grace from us. His steadfast love and mercy is new every day (Lamentations 3:22-23). Through the gift and grace of the Holy Spirit we can be changed and made new in Christ. He can set us free from our unruly desires and passions. Jesus never lost an opportunity to bring freedom to those oppressed by sin and guilt. His frequent association with sinners, however, upset the sensibilities of the religious leaders. When a woman caught in adultery was brought to them for trial, they confronted Jesus on the issue of retribution. Jewish law treated adultery as a serious crime since it violated God’s ordinance and wreaked havoc on the stability of marriage and family life. It was one of the three gravest sins punishable by death.

This incident tells us a great deal about Jesus’ attitude to the sinner. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to entrap Jesus with the religious and civil authorities. That is why they brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. Jesus turned the challenge towards his accusers. In effect he said: Go ahead and stone her! But let the man who is without sin be the first to cast a stone. The Lord leaves the matter to their own consciences. When the adulterous woman is left alone with Jesus, he both expresses mercy and he strongly exhorts her to not sin again. The scribes wished to condemn, Jesus wished to forgive and to restore the sinner to health. His challenge involved a choice – either go back to your former way of sin and death or to reach out to the new way of life and happiness with him. Jesus gave her pardon and a new start on life. God’s grace enables us to confront our sin for what it is – unfaithfulness to God, and to turn back to God with a repentant heart and a thankful spirit for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Do you know the joy of repentance and a clean conscience?

*“God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect. In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, that you are on our side against all that stunts life, and that our resentment against you was groundless. So we come to you, asking you to forgive our past ignorance, and wanting to know more and more of you and your forgiving love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” *(Prayer of Saint Augustine)

 

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A reflection on the Readings from Dr. Scott Hahn:

Something New

Readings:*
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalms 126:1-6
Philippians 3:8-14
John 8:1-11 *

**The Liturgy this Lent has shown us the God of the Exodus. He is a mighty and gracious God, Who out of faithfulness to His covenant has done “great things” for His people, as today’s Psalm puts it. **

But the “things of long ago,” Isaiah tells us in today’s First Reading, are nothing compared to the “something new” that He will do in the future.

Today’s First Reading and Psalm look back to the marvelous deeds of the Exodus. Both see in the Exodus a pattern and prophecy of the future, when God will restore the fortunes of His people fallen in sin. The readings today look forward to a still greater Exodus, when God will gather in the exiled tribes of Israel which had been scattered to the four winds, the ends of the earth.

The new Exodus that Israel waited and hoped for has come in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Like the adulterous woman in today’s Gospel, all have been spared by the Lord’s compassion. All have heard His words of forgiveness, His urging to repentance, to be sinners no more. Like Paul in today’s Epistle, Christ has taken possession of every one, claimed each as a child of our heavenly Father.

In the Church, God has formed a people for Himself to announce His praise, just as Isaiah said He would. And as Isaiah promised, He has given His “chosen people” living waters to drink in the desert wastelands of the world (see John 7:37-39).

But our God is ever a God of the future, not of the past. We are to live with hopeful hearts, “forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead,” as Paul tells us. His salvation, Paul says, is power in the present, “the power of His resurrection.”

We are to live awaiting a still greater and final Exodus, pursuing “the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling,” striving in faith to attain the last new thing God promises - “the resurrection of the dead.”

**A ‘New’ Exodus **

Israel’s Exodus from Egypt is in the background of every reading in this month’s Liturgy of the Word.

The Exodus convinced the Israelites that they were God’s chosen people. What other people could boast that God had personally delivered them in their time of trial (see Exodus 15:11-16)?

Later in its history, when Israel through sin had fallen into captivity and exile, the prophets predicted a “new Exodus,” led by a Messiah, a new Moses who would restore them once more as a holy kingdom (see Isaiah 10:25-27; 11:15-16; 51:9-11). This new Exodus, Jeremiah predicted, would mark the start of a “New Covenant” (see Jeremiah 23:7-8; 31:31-33).

In the readings for the Second Sunday in Lent (Cycle C), we see Jesus as the hoped-for new Moses, liberating God’s people from the last enemy - sin and death - and bringing them into the promised land of heaven. And as Paul says in the Epistle for the Third Sunday, the events of Exodus - the Red Sea crossing, the manna from heaven, the water from the rock - were signs of the Church’s sacraments.

 

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Catena Aurea on John 8:1-11 for the 5th Sunday in Lent

Catena Aurea means “the golden chain,” and is a running commentary on the Four Gospels compiled by St Thomas Aquinas from the writings of the Church Fathers.

John 8:1-11

** ALCUIN. **Our Lord at the time of His passion used to spend the day in Jerusalem, preaching in the temple, and performing miracles, and return in the evening to Bethany, where He lodged with the sisters of Lazarus. Thus on the last day of the feast, having, according to His wont, preached the whole day in the temple, in the evening He went to the mount of Olives.

**AUG. **And where ought Christ to teach, except on the mount of Olives; on the mount of ointment, on the mount of chrism. For the name Christ is from chrism, chrism being the Greek word for unction. He has anointed us, for wrestling with the devil.

ALCUIN. The anointing with oil is a relief to the limbs, when wearied and in pain. The mount of Olives also denotes the height of our Lord’s pity, olive in the Greek signifying pity. The qualities of oil are such as to fit in to this mystical meaning. For it floats above all other liquids: and the Psalmist says, Your mercy is over all Your works. And early in the morning, He came again into the temple: i.e. to denote the giving and unfolding of His mercy, i.e. the now dawning light of the New Testament in the faithful, that is, in His temple. His returning early in the morning, signifies the new rise of grace.

BEDE. And next it is signified, that after He began to dwell by grace in His temple, i.e. in the Church, men from all nations would believe in Him: And all the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them.

ALCUIN. The sitting down, represents the humility of His incarnation. And the people came to Him, when He sat down, i.e. after taking up human nature, and thereby becoming visible, many began to hear and believe on Him, only knowing Him as their friend and neighbor. But while these kind and simple persons are full of admiration at our Lord’s discourse, the Scribes and Pharisees put questions to Him, not for the sake of instruction, but only to entangle the truth in their nets: And the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say to Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, if the very act.

**AUG. **They had remarked upon, Him already, as being over lenient. Of Him indeed it had I been prophesied, Ride on because of the word of truth, of meekness, and of righteousness. So as a teacher He exhibited truth, as a deliverer meekness, as a judge righteousness. When He spoke, His truth was acknowledged; when against His enemies He used no violence, His meekness was praised. So they raised the scandal on the score of justice For they said among themselves, If He decide to let her go He will not do justice; for the law cannot command what is unjust: Now Moses in the law commanded as, that such should be stoned: but to maintain His meekness, which has made Him already so acceptable to the people, He must decide to let her go. Wherefore they demand His opinion: And what say You? hoping to find an occasion to accuse Him, as a transgressor of the law: And this they said tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But our Lord in His answer both maintained His justice, and departed not from meekness. Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground.

**AUG. **As if to signify that such persons were to be written in earth, not in heaven, where He told His disciples they should rejoice they were v written. Or His bowing His head (to write on the ground), is an expression of humility; the writing on the ground signifying that His law was written on the earth which bore fruit, not on the barren stone, as before.

Continued on the next post.

 

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ALCUIN. The ground denotes the human heart, which yields the fruit either of good or of bad actions: the finger jointed and flexible, discretion. He instructs us then, when we see any faults in our neighbors, not immediately and rashly to condemn them, but after searching our own hearts to begin with, to examine them attentively with the finger of discretion.

**BEDE. **His writing with His finger on the ground perhaps showed, that it was He who had written the law on stone. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted Himself up.
AUG. He did not say, Stone her not, lest He should seem to speak contrary to the law. But God forbid that He should say, Stone her; for He came not to destroy that which He found, but to seek that which was lost. What then did He answer? He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. This is the voice of justice. Let the sinner be punished, but not by sinners; the law carried into effect, but not by transgressors of the law.

GREG. For he who judges not himself first, cannot know how to judge correctly in the case of another. For though He know what the offense is, from being told, yet He cannot judge of another’s deserts, who supposing himself innocent, will not apply the rule of justice to himself.

AUG. Having with the weapon of justice smitten them, He deigned not even to look on the fallen, but averted His eyes: And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

**ALCUIN. **This is like our Lord; while His eyes are fixed, and He seems attending to something else, He gives the bystanders an opportunity of retiring: a tacit admonition to us to consider always both before we condemn a brother for a sin, and after we have punished him, whether we are not guilty ourselves of the same fault, or others as bad.

**AUG. **Thus smitten then with the voice of justice, as with a weapon, they examine themselves, find themselves guilty, and one by one retire: And they which heard it, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest.

GLOSS. The more guilty of them, perhaps, or those who were more conscious of their faults.

**AUG. **(Quoted in the Navarre Bible, as in previous post) There were left however two, the pitiable, and the pitiful, And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst: the woman, you may suppose, in great alarm, expecting punishment from one in whom no sin could be found. But He who had repelled her adversaries with there word of justice, lifted on her the eyes of mercy, and asked; When Jesus had lifted Himself up, and saw none but the woman, He said to her, Woman, where are these your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She said, No man, Lord. We heard above the voice of justice; let us hear now that of mercy: Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you; I, who you feared would condemn you, because You found no fault in me. What then Lord? Do You favor sin? No, surely. Listen to what follows, Go, and sin no more. So then our Lord condemned sin, but not the sinner. For did He favor sin, He would have said, Go, and live as you will: depend on my deliverance: howsoever great your sins be, it matters not: I will deliver you from hell, and its tormentors. But He did not say this. Let those attend, who love the Lord’s mercy, and fear His truth. Truly, Gracious and righteous is the Lord.

 

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A meditation and some questions for practical application from The Word Among Us magazine:

**Meditation: **John 8:1-11

You are running late, so your right foot steps hard on the gas pedal as you run the red light. Suddenly, lights begin flashing in your rearview mirror as a police car comes up behind you. As you try to collect your thoughts, you pray that the officer will show you mercy. And as if miraculously, he cites you with only a warning and lets you go your way.

Sometimes we view the scribes and Pharisees in today’s Gospel reading as police officers who enforced the law with no mercy—the exact opposite of the officer described above who was kind and lenient. If that’s how we view these religious leaders, it would be only natural for us to imagine them walking away from this scene disappointed. But let’s imagine another possibility.

Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone. (John 8:7) Jesus had just hinted that he knew all their sins, but he didn’t call them out. Instead, he treated them with the same mercy that he showed to the adulterous woman. One by one, they walked away. Perhaps some of them were struck by Jesus’ fairness and calm. Maybe some even began to follow him. Maybe there were genuine conversions that day, all because of mercy.

We are all sinners, and we all deserve condemnation. Because of God’s undying love, we have all been spared condemnation. According to the Law of Moses, that woman should have died. But Jesus set her free. Today, he is waiting to set you free as well. So gaze at the cross and marvel at the mercy of God. With all the gratitude you can muster, confess that you have been spared judgment and have been given the promise of eternal life! And if you want to throw a stone at another person, even if they deserve it, try to let it go, knowing that Jesus will never throw one at you.

“Thank you, Jesus, for the mercy and grace that you have given me. Father, let these truths mold my heart today, so that I can share that mercy and compassion with everyone I meet.”

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Questions for Individual Reflection or Group Discussion

Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21, Psalm 126:1-6, Philippians 3:8-14, John 8:1-11

1. In the first reading, God tells us of all the new and wonderful things he has done for the people he has formed “that they might announce my praise.” During the day are you more inclined to periodically turn to God and give him thanks and praise or ignore him? What practical steps can you take to help you to turn to the Lord more often during the day?

1. The response to the Responsorial Psalm is “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” How would you describe some of the “great things” the Lord has done for you?

1. The Responsorial Psalm also speaks of the laughter and rejoicing which should be ours in Christ, not superficial giddiness but the joy of one who has experienced God’s love and touch in his life. During the day, would others say that is the kind of Christian you are? What are can you do during the day to fill it with more joy?

1. In the Second Reading, St. Paul told the Philippians that he considered everything a loss compared to knowing – that is experiencing - the touch of Christ in his life. He also said he considered everything as rubbish, compared to gaining Christ and being found in him. Why do you think Paul was able to say these things? Are you able to say the same thing based on your own experience of Jesus Christ? Why or why not?

1. St. Paul also says that while he may not have eternal life yet, nevertheless, he has been taken possession of by Christ? What can you do to allow Christ to take greater ownership of your life?

1. In the familiar Gospel, Jesus offers love and forgiveness in contrast to those who seek only “justice” and the law. In what ways is your attitude one of wanting mercy from God for yourself, but “justice” for everyone else? Are you the first to cast the stone? How can you make love and mercy for others the hallmark of your life?

1. The meditation ends with these words: “We are all sinners, and we all deserve condemnation. Because of God’s undying love, we have all been spared condemnation. According to the Law of Moses, that woman should have died. But Jesus set her free. Today, he is waiting to set you free as well. So gaze at the cross and marvel at the mercy of God. With all the gratitude you can muster, confess that you have been spared judgment and have been given the promise of eternal life! And if you want to throw a stone at another person, even if they deserve it, try to let it go, knowing that Jesus will never throw one at you.” What do these words mean to you? Take some time now to pray for yourself, and others close to you, that you and they would forgive others as the Lord has forgiven you. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.

 

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Just a quick note: If you attend a Mass this weekend where those preparing to enter the Church this Easter are undergoing the Scrutinies, you will hear different Scripture readings. You can find these here:

5th Sunday of Lent, Cycle A

Here is my Scripture study for those Readings:

• Scripture Study*
  Fifth Sunday of Lent – Cycle A

**Opening prayer **

Ezekiel 37:12-14, (Psalm 130:1-8), Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45

Overview of the Gospel:
• In John’s gospel, there are traditionally seven great signs performed by Jesus that point to his divinity, beginning with his turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana (John 2:11). This Sunday’s gospel relates the raising of Lazarus, the last and greatest sign, and the one that leads directly to the Jewish leaders’ decision to kill Jesus—and Lazarus too, for that matter (John 11:46-54, 12:9-11).
• Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary were close friends of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42) and Jesus apparently stayed at their home in Bethany when visiting Jerusalem (Bethany, on the other side of the Mount of Olives, was about 2 miles to the east). From the Scriptures, it is clear that Jesus loved them very much (verses 3,5,11,35,36).
• When Martha and Mary send word to Jesus of Lazarus’ illness and he delays, both sisters evidence great faith, though they don’t understand Jesus’ actions.
• By this miracle, Jesus is proved to be the Son of God, increasing the faith of his disciples (verse 15), Martha and Mary (verses 26-40), and the rest of the people (verses 36,45).
.
Questions:
• How does the First Reading relate to the events in the Gospel? What are it’s implications for all those who hope in Christ?
• In the Gospel, why does Jesus deliberately delay in his response (verse 6)? Given the disciple’s objection (verse 8), what do you think Jesus means by his parable in verse 9-10?
• Why does Jesus return to Lazarus when he does (Verses 11-15)? What do the disciples fear instead (verses 8,16)? How would you feel if you were Martha or Mary and you heard that Jesus had finally come? What do you learn about Martha from the way she talks to Jesus in verses 21-27? How does Jesus stretch her faith by his claim in verse 25? How does this relate to his claim in John 10:9?
• How is Mary’s greeting (verse 32) like and unlike Martha’s? Since Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus (verse 11:11), how do you account for his weeping (verse 34)?
• Have you ever felt like God was not listening when you prayed? How did you deal with this? How does the way in which Jesus postponed his response to the sisters’ request help you in understanding your own prayer life?

Catechism of the Catholic Church: ** §§ 548, 640, 993-994, 2604**

Closing Prayer

Remember to read and meditate on the daily Mass readings!

Those who have a sure hope that they will rise again lay hold of what lies in the future as though it were already present—St. Cyril of Alexandria

© 2010 Vince Contreras
Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics
www.sundayscripturestudy.com

 

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Back to the 5th Sunday of Lent, Cycle C, here is a meditation from Fr. Thomas Rosica:

The Day that Misery and Mercy Met — A Biblical Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent C

Today’s moving Gospel story [John 8:1-11] recounts the episode of the adulterous woman in two vivid scenes: in the first, we witness a dispute between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees concerning a woman caught in flagrant adultery who, in accordance with the prescriptions of the Book of Leviticus [20:10], was condemned to stoning. In the second scene, a brief but moving dialogue develops between Jesus and the sinful woman.

There is no other event in Jesus’ life that more clearly illustrates the triumph of mercy over justice than this story. There are two intriguing aspects of the story: the first is that John’s story is missing from most of the ancient Greek manuscripts, and is certainly out of place in the Fourth Gospel. The language and style of the story appear to be closer to Luke’s account than John’s.

Unique words and phrases not common in John’s Gospel include “the Mount of Olives” [8:1], “The Scribes” [8:3] and “I condemn” [8:11], all of which are more commonly found in the Synoptic Gospels. Words and phrases like “all the people” [8:2] and “the Scribes and the Pharisees” [8:3] are more common to Luke. However, despite the fact that there are Lukan words in this story, there are also non-Lukan phrases, which suggest a non-Lukan text.

On the other hand, some words in the story are not found anywhere else in the Gospels, including: “in the act” [8:4], “sinless” [8:7] and “he was left” [8:9]. There is no doubt that the language of this story makes it unique within the New Testament.

Is Jesus soft on sin?

Scripture scholars have felt that the early church, which took a severe attitude toward adultery, was embarrassed by the degree of Jesus’ mercy and found it a bit too much to believe. Could it be the reason why for many years, today’s story was left out of the manuscripts of John’s Gospel? This story was most likely circulating orally and scribes did not want this story to be lost.

An attentive reading of the story from John 8 shows that Jesus is not at all soft on sin. Rather, his compassion and pardon toward the sinner led him to challenge her “to not sin again”. Jesus’ stance before this woman remains a permanent call and challenge to his disciples and to the Church throughout the ages.

The second intriguing aspect of the story is that the story of the woman presents the only occasion in the entire Gospels where Jesus is shown writing on the ground. What could he have been writing – not once, but twice? I would love to retrieve his message, and use it as a constant model of how we are to deal with sinners. His message would be the best “confession practicum” that anyone of us could take before we enter ministry.

One tendency, which takes Jesus’ mercy out of context, would be to stifle such merciful gestures, claiming that Jesus is too easy with sinners. Another tendency would be to completely deny the existence of sin, the necessity of conversion and the gift of God’s forgiveness. Neither tendency is correct. To deny our proneness to sin, and our openness to God’s grace and forgiveness is to deny the message of Jesus Christ.

As pastoral ministers and adult Catholics, we have an enormous role to play in determining which tendency will prevail. We are each invited to pass on the tradition of a church and a faith community remarkable for its clarity, tenderness and mercy.

Concluded on the next post.

 

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Quality and extent of forgiveness

As we near Holy Week and the final struggle of the Lord Jesus, he is becoming more and more embroiled in a contest with the local authorities, and becomes a growing threat to their authority. Next Sunday, we will see to where the conundrum leads… to Calvary and the cross. Today’s Gospel demonstrates in a particular and dramatic way the quality and extent of divine forgiveness. The sin may be terrible but sinners are always loved.

The woman caught in adultery is brought before Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees in order to force him to give judgment on the basis of the Mosaic Law. Jesus’ first reply to the woman’s accusers, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her,” gives us an insight into his realistic understanding of the human condition, beginning with that of his questioners who began to drift away one by one. We also observe Jesus’ profound humanity in his treatment of the unfortunate woman, of whose sins he certainly disapproved, for he said to her, “Go and do not sin again.” Jesus did not crush her under the weight of a condemnation without appeal.

And two were left…

To recognize and bring out the sin in others means also recognizing one’s self as sinner, and in need of God’s boundless mercy. To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ without acknowledging the necessity of profound personal conversion and the free gift of God’s mercy is to deny the central Christian message of conversion.

In his magnificent commentary on St. John’s Gospel [Io. Ev. tract 33, 5], St. Augustine writes: “The Lord, in his response, neither failed to respect the law nor departed from his meekness”. Augustine added that with these words, Jesus obliged the accusers to look into themselves, to examine themselves to see whether they too were sinners. Thus, “pierced through as if by a dart as big as a beam, one after another, they all withdrew.”

When they had all left, Jesus remained alone with the woman. It is a poignant and provocative scene, described beautifully by Augustine with the words: “relicti sunt duo, misera et misericordia.” And two were left… the wretched one, and mercy.” I remember how moved I was in reading Augustine’s words while I was studying John’s Gospel at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.

The One who had bent down to write in the dust, raised his eyes and met those of the woman. He did not ask for explanations. Is it not ironic when he asked the woman: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” [v 10]. Jesus’ reply was overwhelming: “neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again” [v 11]. Again, Augustine observed: “The Lord did also condemn, but condemned sins, not man. For if he were a patron of sin, he would say, “neither will I condemn you; go, live as you will; be secure in my deliverance; however much you sin, I will deliver you from all punishment’. He said not this” [Io Ev. tract. 33, 6].

Our real enemy is attachment to sin, which can lead us to failure in our lives. Jesus sent the adulterous woman away with this recommendation: “Go, and do not sin again”. He forgives her so that “from now on” she will sin no more. Only divine forgiveness and divine love received with an open and sincere heart give us the strength to resist evil and “to sin no more”, to let ourselves be struck by God’s love so that it becomes our strength. Jesus’ attitude becomes a model to follow for every community, which is called to place love and forgiveness at the center of its life.

Struggling for forgiveness

Who are we at this moment in our journey? There is so much misery in our world and in our Church, and both the world and the Church desperately need the experience of Mercy – in merciful communities, and merciful, compassionate people. But this mercy is NOT a watering down of the Gospel message. Rather it is God’s tough love for us, a love worth struggling for each day.

Let me leave you with this quote from Sister Helen Prejean’s best selling book Dead Man Walking. It is particularly appropriate in light of today’s Gospel, and of our Lenten journey, for it highlights our daily struggle for forgiveness and reconciliation that lies at the heart of the Christian life.

*Lloyd LeBlanc has told me that he would have been content with imprisonment for Patrick Sonnier. He went to the execution, he says, not for revenge, but hoping for an apology. Patrick Sonnier had not disappointed him. Before sitting in the electric chair he had said, “Mr. LeBlanc, I want to ask your forgiveness for what me and Eddie done,” and Lloyd LeBlanc had nodded his head, signaling a forgiveness he had already given. He says that when he arrived with sheriff’s deputies there in the cane field to identify his son, he had knelt by his boy– “laying down there with his two little eyes sticking out like bullets” – and prayed the Our Father.

And when he came to the words: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” he had not halted or equivocated, and he said, “Whoever did this, I forgive them.” But he acknowledged that it’s a struggle to overcome the feelings of bitterness and revenge that well up, especially as he remembers David’s birthday year by year and loses him all over again: David at twenty, David at twenty-five, David getting married, David standing at the back door with his little ones clustered around his knees, grown-up David, a man like himself, whom he will never know. Forgiveness is never going to be easy. Each day it must be prayed for and struggled for and won.* [Dead Man Walking pp. 244-245 New York: Vintage Books, Random House, 1993]

 

[Fidelis]

A reflection by Fr. Paul Scalia found over a Catholic Exchange:

How to Argue

All children argue. And the children of God are no exception. Indeed, sometimes we ought to have a good argument. No, we ought not fall into those petty fights and silly quarrels that we often do. But neither should we avoid those inevitable and necessary confrontations and disagreements that arise in relationships. For those provide an opportunity to pursue the truth and seek the other’s good. As such, we need to know how to argue properly.

Time and again Our Lord shows Himself brilliant in an argument. On numerous occasions the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees try to ensnare Him in debate. He eludes them every time. Such is the case when they bring Him a woman caught in adultery (Jn 8:1-11). They do so to trap Him. But they fall into their own trap, and leave defeated. We who bear the likeness of Christ, but who often act like the scribes and Pharisees, can learn from this scene.

First, we learn to argue for the right reasons. The scribes and Pharisees were not pursuing truth or goodness. They picked a fight to trap Our Lord. Worse still, they used the law of God not as an instrument for good but as a snare for Jesus. This is why Our Lord’s words — “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (Jn 8:7) — strike them so forcefully. He convicts them of the sin that they are at that very moment committing — that they themselves were abusing the Mosaic law. They did not intend these things for good but for evil.

We stray into the same behavior as the scribes and Pharisees whenever we argue not out of a desire for the truth or for the other’s good but simply to prove ourselves right. Indeed, this characterizes many marital squabbles. Spouses often fight not to win the other’s heart but merely to score a point and win the match. Worse still, even in the Church people use God’s word as the scribes and Pharisees did — again, not in genuine pursuit of truth and their neighbor’s good, but to prove another wrong and themselves right. Let us learn from the negative example of the scribes and Pharisees. When we argue, let us argue out of genuine love for the truth and for the other.

Second, Our Lord teaches us to avoid certain debates. He does not respond to the question of the scribes and Pharisees. In fact, He ignores it. Only when they press Him again does He stand and deliver His rebuke. He behaves similarly on other occasions (cf. Lk 20:1-8). And in another place He tells us why: “Do not cast your pearls before swine” (Mt 7:6).

Point is, Jesus does not allow Himself to be drawn into an argument with those who are insincere. He knows their hearts. He knows that they desire not truth or goodness but only to accuse Him and vindicate themselves. He does not engage — not because he does not care, but because His opponents lack the basic openness necessary for an argument. He will not cast His pearls of wisdom into their pigsty of insincerity.

We must bear witness to the truth always. But we do not have to debate or explain the Faith to everyone. Because not everyone asks sincerely. In such instances we will find that the truth can actually be sullied and distorted by the insincerity of others.

Most of all we must remember that words ultimately fail. In such situations, the greatest “argument” is the witness of our lives. During His trials Our Lord would not respond to the chief priests (Mt 14:61), or Herod (Lk 23:9) or Pilate (Jn 19:9). Words had failed. All that could penetrate those hardened hearts was the witness of divine love, the offering of His life to the Father. So also for us — when words fail the greatest way to “win” an argument is by acts of love.

 

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Fifth Sunday of Lent, By Brian Pizzalato

First Reading – Is 43:16-21
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 126:1-6
Second Reading – Phil 3:8-14
Gospel Reading – Jn 8:1-11

The scribes and Pharisees are at it again in this Sunday’s Gospel reading from the Eighth Chapter of John. At the beginning of Lent, we heard about the Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness. However, throughout the Gospels, the scribes and Pharisees continually do exactly the same thing. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that, later on in the same chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus says to the Pharisees, “You are of your father, the devil” (v. 44). One could imagine Jesus quoting the same passage of Scripture to the Pharisees that he once quoted to Satan: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Dt 6:16; 4:12).

In this particular Gospel passage, the scribes and Pharisees are testing Jesus to see what he will do regarding a woman caught in adultery. In their conceit, they believe that they have forced Jesus into a no-win situation. As the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible on John notes, “(1) If Jesus authorizes the stoning, the Pharisees will report him to the Romans for criminal wrongdoing, for the Jews were not permitted to administer capital punishment under Roman rule. (2) If Jesus forbids the stoning, the Pharisees will discredit him as a false messiah who contradicts Moses, for the Torah classifies adultery as a capital crime” (p.33).

What is poor Jesus to do? Before he utters a word he simply bends over in the chair that he was teaching from “and began to write on the ground with his finger” (Jn 8:6). This by itself perhaps spoke volumes in retrospect. It would have brought to mind the prophet Jeremiah: “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water” (17:13). Being written in the earth is a direct contrast to being written in the book of life.

Jesus not only avoids the trap, he re-sets the trap and points it in the direction of the Pharisees. He says, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (Jn 8:7). Jesus too knows the law. Those who witnessed the crime were supposed to be the ones to cast the first stones (Dt 17:7). The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible notes that Jesus “neither authorizes the stoning (incriminating himself) nor contradicts the law of Moses (compromising his teaching)” (p. 33). He refuses to be trapped by the “no-win situation” which was meant to bring him down.

Then Jesus bends down again to write on the ground and “they went away one by one, beginning with the elders” (Jn 8:9). Those who trying to trap Jesus were trapped by their own trap. They were put in the position of having to do one of the two things they had been trying to get Jesus to do. If they stone her, they will feel the wrath of the Romans. If they walk away, they compromise the Law of Moses. Additionally, by walking away, they demonstrate to everyone looking on that they are in fact sinners, though they definitely did not see themselves that way. They saw themselves as the holy and righteous ones and saw everyone else as sinners.

In his book, John, Biblical scholar Rodney Whitacre recognizes: “They (the Pharisees) are being rather deceitful. There is no evidence that this law was carried out with any regularity, so they are raising a question in the name of loyalty to Moses, using part of Moses’ teaching that they themselves have not kept” (p. 206). Deceit is, of course, another trait of their father, the devil.

Jesus is then left alone with the adulterous woman. He says to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” The woman responds, “No one, sir.” Jesus then says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore” (8:10-11).

Here we must understand that the emphasis of Jesus’ response lies in his admonition to her to sin no more. Jesus does not let her get away with her sin, which has not led to her physical death but to her spiritual death. In telling her to go and sin no more, Jesus calls her to new life. Jesus loves her and hates her sin.

If we truly love others, we must have the same attitude. We must love our neighbor, and hate their sin. However, we learn from Christ that it is absolutely crucial that we hate our own sin as well. We, too, need to heed the words of Jesus: “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

 

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A synthesis on the Gospel Reading by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh): Community

Gospel
John 8:1-11

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst
4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?”
6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
8 And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
9 But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
10 Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”

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**Interesting Details **

Jesus is teaching in the temple, and He warns against judging “by appearances” (7:24,8:15)

(v.5) “in the law”: Deut 22:22-24 prescribes stoning for both the married woman who commits adultery and the partner.

Why was the woman alone? Where was the partner in adultery and the woman’s husband?

(v.6) The test may be similar to the incident with the Roman coin (Mk 12:13-17). Since Rome did not allow the Jews to put anyone to death, would Jesus obey Moses or Rome? It may also have been that they were just challenging his habitual compassion toward sinners.

This is the only occasion in which Jesus is mentioned as writing anything. What He wrote is not stated, but according to a suggestion formulated by St. Jerome it is often held that He wrote the hidden sins of the woman’s accusers.

Perhaps the movement of his finger allows Jesus to be silent. His eyes would be cast down, His gaze averted from the very ones who would soon press for His death. This suggestion presents Jesus silent before His own accusers, in keeping with the portrait of Isaiah’s “suffering servant” who “opened not His mouth” (Is 53:7)

“First to throw”: the warning in Jesus’ words may have carried a reference to the law. Deut 17:7 acknowledges that those who are witnesses against an accused person have special responsibility for that person’s death. They have to strike the first blow, the rest of the people following. Jesus uses the law to respond to their use of the law.

“Elders” may be a reference to their status as leaders of the people, not necessary as a reference to their age.

(v.9) “Jesus was left alone with the woman.” It was Saint Augustin who best described this scene: “Two figures were left, misery and mercy.”

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One Main Point

The scribes and Pharisees are not interested primarily in the Law of Moses, or the woman’s fate, but rather in trapping Jesus. Again, Jesus is precisely the “more powerful one” as predicted by John the Baptizer (Lk 3:16).

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**Reflections **

Who is on trial here?

Recall a time when I found myself too ready to condemn someone. Did I draw a distinction between “the sin” and "the “sinner?”

 

[Fidelis]

A *pair *of meditations on the readings from Presentation Ministries:

Isaiah 43:16-21
Philippians 3:8-14
Psalm 126
John 8:1-11

**THE PRAYER FOR SUFFERING **

“I wish to know Christ and the power flowing from His resurrection; likewise to know how to share in His sufferings by being formed into the pattern of His death.” —Philippians 3:10

The Lord calls us to pray to be freed from suffering to be freed* for* suffering. We must pray for healing, deliverance, victory, and peace. We pray to remove sufferings that are not God’s will to help us accept sufferings that are. Therefore, after praying to be freed from suffering, we should pray “to know how to share in [Christ’s] sufferings by being formed into the pattern of His death” (Phil 3:10).

This prayer to know how to share in Christ’s sufferings is rarely prayed. Only those deeply in love with Christ are open to this prayer. To pray for suffering, love must be more important to us than self. We must love Jesus so much we prefer to suffer with Him rather than to enjoy ourselves without Him. Because of love, we consider Jesus more important to us than pleasure, and we even value suffering insofar as it is in union with Christ.

We proclaim: “I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. For His sake I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish so that Christ may be my Wealth and I may be in Him” (Phil 3:8-9). Rejoice in the sufferings of Lent “in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings” (1 Pt 4:13).

Prayer: Father, may I consider it a privilege to suffer with, for, and in Jesus (Phil 1:29).
Promise: “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth.” —Is 43:19
Praise: “We praise You, the Lord God Almighty, Who is and Who was” (Rv 11:17). “Who would dare refuse You honor, or the glory due Your name, O Lord?” (Rv 15:4)

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**THE VICTIM-VICTOR **

“They were posing this question to trap Him, so that they could have something to accuse Him of.” —John 8:6

Jesus saved an adulteress from being executed (Jn 8:1ff). He made sure that justice was not done. In doing this, He did nothing for the victims of the adulteress’ sin-crime. Jesus seems to have disregarded the broken hearts of the spouse or spouses cheated on, the disturbed and confused families traumatized by the adultery, and the moral climate of that society further warped by sin. Jesus’ mercy to the adulteress seems unjust to and even merciless to her victims.

However, shortly afterward, Jesus was in agony the night before His crucifixion. Here Jesus assured justice and mercy for all victims by deciding to atone for all sins, heal all broken hearts, restore all families, and transform all human societies. Jesus, by becoming the ultimate Victim on Calvary, gave justice and mercy, love and life to all the victims and victimizers — to all the innocent victims and guilty ones.

Victims and victimizers, give your lives to Jesus, the Victim-Victor, and share in His victory.

**Prayer: **Father, may I “know Christ and the power flowing from His resurrection; likewise to know how to share in His sufferings by being formed into the pattern of His death” (Phil 3:10).
**Promise: **“See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” —Is 43:19
Praise: Praise and honor to You, Lord Jesus Christ! Praise You crucified and risen!

 

[Fidelis]

More resources for the alternative readings for the Mass of the Scrutinies (5th Sunday of Lent, Cycle A).

The St. Charles Borromeo Bible Study can be found here.

The Navarre Bible Commentary on these passages is as follows:

Ezekiel 37:12-14

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*Commentary: *

This remarkable vision of the bones being brought back to life sets the scene for the climax of the resurgence of Israel, the unification of the two kingdoms (cf. 37:15-28). The dramatic contrast drawn here between death and life, bones and spirit, shows that the revitalization that God will bring about goes much further than material reconstruction or simply a return to the promised land; it implies, rather, a new beginning, both personal and social.

The vision itself (vv. 2-10) takes place on an immense plain (cf. 3:22-23) and it addresses the exiles’ profound concern about their future: “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost” (v. 11). It is one of Ezekiel’s most famous and most commented-on visions because it is very vivid and easy to understand. The prophet himself explains it as having to do with the destruction-restoration of Israel (vv. 11-14), though the Fathers of the Church see in it veiled references to the resurrection of the dead: “The Creator will revive our mortal bodies here on earth; he promises resurrection, the opening of sepulchers and tombs, and the gift of immortality …]. And in all this, we see that he alone is God, who can do all things, the good Father who from his endless bounty will give life to the lifeless” (St Irenaeus, Adversus haereses, 5, 15, 1). St Jerome writes in similar terms: “The image of the resurrection would not have been used to describe the restoration of the people of Israel if the future resurrection of the dead had not been foreseen, because no one can be led to draw a conclusion from an idea that has no basis is reality” (Commentarii in Ezechielem, 27, 1ff.

“I will put my Spirit within you” (v. 14). The spirit of the Lord is, at least, the power of God (cf. Gen 2:7) performing an act of creation. It is also the principle of life causing man to “become a living being” (Gen 2:7); and, certainly, it is the principle of supernatural life. The same God that created all things can revitalize his demoralized people in Babylon and can allow humankind to partake of his own life. This promise, like others found in the prophets (cf. 11:19; Jer 31:31-34; Joel 3:1-5) will find its complete fulfillment at Pentecost, when the Spirit descends on the apostles: “According to these promises, at the ‘end time’ the Lord’s Spirit will renew the hearts of men, engraving a new law in them. He will gather and reconcile the scattered and divided peoples; he will transform the first creation, and God will dwell there with men in peace” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 715).

Continued below:

 

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Romans 8:8-11

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Commentary:*

1-13. After original sin man is pulled in two different directions: either he seeks God above all things and contends, with God’s grace,against the inclinations of his own concupiscence; or else he lets himself be overwhelmed by the disordered passions of the flesh. The former lifestyle is “life in the Spirit”, the latter, life “according to the flesh”. “There are only two possible ways of living on this earth: either we live a supernatural life, or we live an animal life” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 200).

Sanctifying grace is the source of life “according to the Spirit”. It is not a matter of simply being in the state of grace or of performing a number of regular pious practices. Life according to the Spirit–spiritual or supernatural life–means a living-according-to-God which influences everything a Christian does: he is constantly trying to bring his thoughts, yearnings, desires and actions into line with what God is asking of him; in everything he does he tries to follow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

Life according to the flesh, on the other hand, has its source in the triple concupiscence which is a consequence of original sin–“all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 Jn 2:16). In this present life it is not possible to
kill concupiscence at its root: it is forever producing new growths. The Christian is freed from original sin through Baptism (chap. 6); the coming of Christ has set aside the ritualistic precepts of the Mosaic Law (chap. 7); but his life in Jesus Christ is threatened by concupiscence even after Baptism, which places him under the Law of the Spirit. “We need to submit to the spirit, to wholeheartedly commit ourselves and strive to keep the flesh in its place. By so doing our flesh will become spiritual again. Otherwise, if we give in to the easy life, this will lower our soul to the level of the flesh and make it carnal again” (St John Chrysostom, “Hom. on Rom”, 13).

10-11. Once he is justified the Christian lives in the grace of God and confidently hopes in his future resurrection; Christ himself lives in him (cf. Gal 2:20; 1 Cor 15:20-23). However, he is not spared the experience of death, a consequence of original sin (cf. Rom 5:12; 6:23). Along with suffering, concupiscence and other limitations, death is still a facto after baptism; it is something which motivates us to struggle and makes us to be like Christ. Almost all commentators interpret the expression “your bodies are dead because of sin” as referring to the fact that, due to sin, the human body is destined to die. So sure is this prospect of death that the Apostle sees the body as “already dead”.

St. John Chrysostom makes an acute observation: if Christ is living in the Christian, then the divine Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, is also present in him. If this divine Spirit is absent, then indeed death reigns supreme, and with it the wrath of God, rejection of his laws, separation from Christ, and expulsion of our Guest. And he adds: “But when one has the Spirit within, what can be lacking? With the Spirit one belongs to Christ, one possesses him, one vies for honor with the angels. With the Spirit, the flesh is crucified, one tastes the delight of an immortal life, one has a pledge of future resurrection and advances rapidly on the path of virtue. This is what Paul calls putting the flesh to death” (“Hom. on Rom.”, 13).

Continued on next post…

 

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John 11:1-45

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Commentary:*
1-45. This chapter deals with one of Jesus’ most outstanding miracles. The Fourth Gospel, by including it, demonstrates Jesus’ power over death, which the Synoptic Gospels showed by reporting the raising of the daughter of Jairus (Mt 9:25 and par.) and of the son of the widow of Nain (Lk 7:12).

The evangelist first sets the scene (vv. 1-16); then he gives Jesus conversation with Lazarus’ sisters (vv. 17-37); finally, he reports the raising of Lazarus four days after his death (vv. 38-45). Bethany was only about three kilometers (two miles) from Jerusalem (v. 18). On the days prior to his passion, Jesus often visited this family, to which he was very attached. St John records Jesus’ affection (vv. 3,5,36) by describing his emotion and sorrow at the death of his friend.

By raising Lazarus our Lord shows his divine power over death and thereby gives proof of his divinity, in order to confirm his disciples’ faith and reveal; himself as the Resurrection and the Life. Most Jews, but not the Sadducees, believed in the resurrection of the body. Martha believed in it (cf. v. 24).

Apart from being a real, historical event, Lazarus’ return to life is a sign our future resurrection: we too will return to life. Christ, by his glorious resurrection through which he is the “first-born from the dead” (1 Cor 15:2; Col 1:18; Rev 1:5), is also the cause and model of our resurrection. In this his resurrection is different from that of Lazarus, for “Christ being raised from the dead will never die again” (Rom 6:9), whereas Lazarus returned to earthly, later to die again.

1. There are a number of women in the Gospels who are called Mary. The Mary here is Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus (v.2), the woman who later anointed our Lord, again in Bethany, at the house of Simon the leper (cf. In 12:1-8; Mk 14:3): the indefinite or aorist “(she) anointed” expresses an action which occurred prior to the time of writing, but the anointing took place after the resurrection of Lazarus.

Were Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene and the “sinful” woman who anointed Jesus’ feet in Galilee (cf. Lk 7:36) one, two or three women? Although sometimes it is argued they are one and the same, it seems more likely that they were all different people. Firstly, we must distinguish the Galilee anointing (Lk 7:35) by the “sinner” from the Bethany anointing done by Lazarus’ sister (Jn 12:1): because of the time they took place and particular details reported, they are clearly distinct (cf. note on Jn 12:1). Besides, the Gospels give us no positive indication that Mary of Bethany was the same person as the “sinner” of Galilee. Nor are there strong grounds for identifying Mary Magdalene and the “sinner”, whose name is not given; Mary Magdalene appears among the women who follow Jesus in Galilee as the woman out of whom seven demons were cast (cf. Lk 8:2), and Luke presents her in his account as someone new: no information is given which could link her with either of the two other women.

Nor can Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene be identified, for John differentiates between the two: he never calls Lazarus’ sister Mary Magdalene, nor does he in any way link the latter (who stays beside the Cross–Jn 19:25–and who goes to the tomb and sees the risen Lord) with Mary of Bethany.

The reason why Mary of Bethany has sometimes been confused with Mary Magdalene is due (1) to identification of the latter with the “sinner” of Galilee through connecting Magdalene’s possession by the devil with the sinfulness of the woman who did the anointing in Galilee; and (2) to confusing the two anointings, which would make Lazarus’ sister the “sinner” who does the first anointing. This was how the three women were made out to be one, but there are no grounds for that interpretation. The best-grounded and most common interpretation offered by exegetes is that they are three distinct women.

1. The glory which Christ speaks of here, St Augustine says, “was no gain to Jesus; it was only for our good. Therefore, Jesus says that this illness is not unto death, because the particular death was not for death but rather for a miracle, which being wrought men should believe in Christ and thereby avoid the true death” (“In Ioann. Evang.”, 49, 6).

8-10. Stoning was the form of capital punishment applying to blasphemy (cf. Lev 24:16). We have seen that people tried to stone Jesus at least twice: first, when he proclaimed that he was the Son of God and that he existed from eternity (by saying that he “was” before Abraham lived)–Jn 8:58-59; second, when he revealed that he and the Father were one (cf. Jn 10:30-3 1).

These attempts by the Jewish authorities failed because Jesus’ ‘hour’ had not yet arrived–that is, the time laid down by his Father for his death and resurrection. When the Crucifixion comes, it will be the hour of his enemies and of “the power of darkness” (Lk 22:53). But until that moment it is daytime, and our Lord can walk without his life being in danger.

1. Thomas’ words remind us of the Apostles saying at the last Supper that they would be ready to die for their Master (cf. Mt 26:31-35). We have seen how the Apostles stayed loyal when many disciples left our Lord after his discourse on the Bread of Life (Jn 6:67-71), and how they remained faithful to him despite their personal weaknesses. But when, after Judas Iscariot’ s betrayal, Jesus lets himself be arrested without offering resistance–in fact, forbidding the use of weapons (cf. Jn 18:11)–they become disconcerted and run away. Only St John will stay faithful in Jesus’ hour of greatest need.

Continued on the next post…

 

[Fidelis]

Continued from the previous post.

1. Fifteen stadia, in Greek measurement: three kilometers (two miles).

21-22. According to St. Augustine, Martha’s request is a good example of confident prayer, a prayer of abandonment into the hands of God, who knows better than we what we need. Therefore, “she did not say, But now I ask You to raise my brother to life again. …] All she said was, I know that You can do it; if you will, do it; it is for you to judge whether to do it, not for me to presume” (“In Ioann. Evang.”, 49, 13). The same can be said of Mary’s words, which St. John repeats at verse 32.

24-26. Here we have one of those concise definitions Christ gives of Himself, and which St. John faithfully passes on to us (cf. John 10:9; 14:6; 15:1): Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the Resurrection because by His victory over death He is the cause of the resurrection of all men. The miracle He works in raising Lazarus is a sign of Christ’s power to give life to people. And so, by faith in Jesus Christ, who arose first from among the dead, the Christian is sure that he too will rise one day, like Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:23; Colossians 1;18). Therefore, for the believer death is not the end; it is simply the step to eternal life, a change of dwelling-place, as one of the Roman Missal’s Prefaces of Christian Death puts it: body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in Heaven".

By saying that He is Life, Jesus is referring not only to that life which begins beyond the grave, but also to the supernatural life which grace brings to the soul of man when he is still a wayfarer on this earth.

“This life, which the Father has promised and offered to each man in Jesus Christ, His eternal and only Son, who ‘when the time had fully come’ (Galatians 4:4), became incarnate and was born of the Virgin Mary, is the final fulfillment of man’s vocation. It is in a way the fulfillment of the ‘destiny’ that God has prepared for him from eternity. This ‘divine destiny’ is advancing, in spite of all the enigmas, the unsolved riddles, the twists and turns of ‘human destiny’ in the world of time. Indeed, while all this, in spite of all the riches of life in time, necessarily and inevitably leads to the frontiers of death and the goal of the destruction of the human body, beyond that goal we see Christ. ‘I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me…shall never die.’ In Jesus Christ, who was crucified and laid in the tomb and then rose again, ‘our hope of resurrection dawned…the bright promise of immortality’ (“Roman Missal”, Preface of Christian Death, I), on the way to which man, through the death of the body, shares with the whole of visible creation the necessity to which matter is subject” ([Pope] John Paul II, “Redemptor Hominis”, 18).

Concluded on the next post…

 

[Fidelis]

33-36. This passage gives an opportunity to reflect on the depth and tenderness of Jesus’ feelings. If the physical death of His friend can move Him to tears, what will He not feel over the spiritual death of a sinner who has brought about his eternal condemnation? “Christ wept: let man also weep for himself. For why did Christ weep, but to teach men to weep” (St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”, 49, 19). We also should weep–but for our sins, to help us return to the life of grace through conversion and repentance. We should appreciate our Lord’s tears: He is praying for us, who are sinners: "Jesus is your friend. The Friend. With a human heart, like yours. With loving eyes that wept for Lazarus.

“And He loves you as much as He loved Lazarus” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 422).

41-42. Through His sacred humanity Jesus is expressing Himself as the natural Son of God, that is, He is the metaphysical Son of God, not adopted like the rest of men. This is the source of Jesus’ feelings, which helps us to understand that when He says “Father” He is speaking with a unique and indescribable intensity. When the Gospels let us see Jesus praying, they always show Him beginning with the invocation “Father” (cf. note on Luke 11:1-2), which reflects His singular trust and love (cf. Matthew 11:25 and par.). These sentiments should also in some way find a place in our prayer, for through Baptism we are joined to Christ and in Him we became children of God (cf. John 1:12; Romans 6:1-11; 8:14-17), and so we should always pray in a spirit of sonship and gratitude for the many good things our Father God has given us.

The miracle of the raising of Lazarus, which really is an extraordinary miracle, is a proof that Jesus is the Son of God, sent into the world by His Father. And so it is, that when Lazarus is brought back to life, people’s faith in Jesus is increased–the disciples’ (verse 15), Martha’s and Mary’s (verses 26, 40) and that of the people at large (36, 45).

1. Jesus calls Lazarus by name. Although he is really dead, he has not thereby lost his personal identity: dead people continue to exist, but they have a different mode of existence, because they have changed from mortal life to eternal life. This is why Jesus states that God “is not God of the dead, but of the living”, for to Him all are alive (cf. Matthew 22:32; Luke 20:38).

This passage can be applied to the spiritual resurrection of the soul who has sinned and recovers grace. God wants us to be saved (cf. 1 Timothy 2:4); therefore we should never lose heart; we should always desire and hope to reach this goal: “Never despair. Lazarus was dead and decaying: ’ Iam foetet, quatriduanus enim est”. By now he will smell; this is the fourth day", says Martha to Jesus.

“If you hear God’s inspiration and follow it–‘Lazare, veni foras!: Lazarus, come out!’–and you will return to Life” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 719).

1. The Jews prepared the body for burial by washing it and anointing it with aromatic ointments to delay decomposition and counteract offensive odors; they then wrapped the body in linen cloths and bandages, covering the head with a napkin–a method very like the Egyptians’, but not entirely extending to full embalming, which involved removing certain internal organs.

Lazarus’ tomb would have consisted of a subterranean chamber linked to the surface by steps, with the entrance blocked by a slab. Lazarus was moved out to the entrance by a supernatural force. As happened in the case of the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5;42-43), due to their astonishment no one moved until our Lord’s words broke the atmosphere of silence and terror which had been created.

St. Augustine sees in the raising of Lazarus a symbol of the Sacrament of Penance: in the same way as Lazarus comes out of the tomb, “when you confess, you come forth. For what does ‘come forth’ mean if not emerging from what is hidden, to be made manifest. But for you to confess is God’s doing; He calls you with an urgent voice, by an extraordinary grace. And just as the dead man came out still bound, so you go to Confession still guilty. In order that his sins be loosed, the Lord said this to His ministers: ‘Unbind him and let him go’. What you will lose on earth will be loosed in Heaven” (St. Augustine “In Ioann. Evang.”, 49, 24). Christian art has used this comparison from very early on; in the catacombs we find some one hundred and fifty representations of the raising of Lazarus, symbolizing thereby the gift of the life of grace which comes through the priest, who in effect repeats the words to the sinner: “Lazarus, come out.”