5th Sunday of Lent (Cycle C, Year II)
Community Word: The mercy and compassion of Christ calls us to live a life of holiness.
Theme: We live a life of holiness when we do not pass judgment onthose who have gone astray.
Promise: “Although they go forth weeping, they shall come back rejoicing.” (Ps 126:6)
Reflection:
In the gospel for the 5th Sunday of Lent, we read about scribes and Pharisees trying to trap Jesus, because they are jealous of His popularity and envious of His growing number of followers. They come to Him with a woman caught in adultery, using her as bait to trap Jesus and accuse Him falsely.
It is not the sin of the adulterous woman that stands out in the story, but the self-righteous, judgmental, and self-serving motivation of the men who are accusing her. The sins of the heart, which separate us from God, may be even more destructive than the sins of action we commit, because we may be guilty of even greater sins, and yet not be aware of them. Thus, Jesus cautions us in the gospel of St Matthew: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye,” (Matthew 7:3-5).
In some ways, we are like the scribes and Pharisees in dealing with our jealous nature. We start by finding something wrong with those who have what we desire, and then end up judging them. Also, in an effort to deny our own feelings of inadequacy, we look for mistakes in others that we recognize in ourselves, because their shortcomings remind us of our own failures. Instead of being considerate or gently trying to correct error, our arrogance and egotism make us calloused and insensitive toward brethren who commit sin, simply because they also remind us of our tendency to sin. We are quick jump to conclusions and look down with contempt on those in error, judging them harshly. But who are we really, to cast a stone at anyone?
When we judge others, our sins become magnified in God’s eye, “… the measure by which you measure will be measured back to you,” (Matthew 7:1-2). The seeds of hatred and unforgiveness we plant in our hearts makes our heart impure. Instead of condemning others, let us learn to be kind, forbearing and helpful. As St. James says: “Remember this: the person who brings a sinner back from his way will save his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins,” (James 5:20).
Let us not allow this season of Lent to pass by without making a decisive move to seek God’s pardon through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is Pope Francis’s earnest appeal in his Lenten Message for the Jubilee Year of Mercy: “Let us not waste this season of Lent, so favorable a time for conversion! Let this season be holy and full of grace – the grace of repentance and conversion that will enable us to walk the glorious path of salvation and eternal joy.”We plead for God to show us clearly those sins we fail to recognize in our lives, and make a firm decision to turn away from them. Let us recommit to follow Jesus in obedience to bear much fruit. Thus we will rightfully claim His promise for the week: “Although they go forth weeping, they shall come back rejoicing,” (Psalm 126:6).
Prayer:
Lord, we reflect on Your unfathomable mercy and compassion in pardoning the woman caught in adultery. We profess our sincere repentance for the many times we have offended You when we too, were quick to pass judgment on erring family members, co-workers, and brothers and sisters in community. Remind us always that our goal is not to condemn, but to restore sinners and win their souls back to You. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1. When a person is publicly condemned because of immorality or corruption, what is your first reaction? Do you condemn the actions of the person or the person himself? Reflect on the right action to take, based on the example of Christ.
2. How can you achieve a higher level of compassion and forbearance for people who have may have offended you?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
March 13, 2016 (Sun) Is 43:16-21/ Ps 126:1-6/ Phil 3:8-14/ Jn 8:1-11
March 14, 2016 (Mon) Dn 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62/Ps 23:1-3,3-4,5,6/Jn 8:12-20
March 15, 2016 (Tue) Nm 21:4-9/Ps 102:2-3,16-18,19-21/Jn 8:21-30
March 16, 2016 (Wed) Dn 3:14-20,91-92,95/Dn 3:52,53,54, 55,56/Jn 8:31-42
March 17, 2016 (Thu) Gn 17:3-9/Ps 105:4-5,6-7,8-9/Jn 8:51-59
March 18, 2016 (Fri) Jer 20:10-13/Ps 18:2-3,3-4,5-6,7/Jn 10:31-42
March 19, 2016 (Sat) 2Sm 7:4-5,12-14,16/Ps 89:2-3,4-5,27,29/Rom 4:13,16-18,22/Mt 1:16,18-21
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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