Gospel: John 8: 1-11
People bring a woman guilty of sin to condemn her before Jesus, seeking his approval for their condemnation of her. Their interest is not in justice, any more than it will be when they condemn Jesus. This woman is merely a pawn in their game, as Jesus will be later in the Gospel drama. But Jesus will not be a party to their condemnation of her or anyone else.
For this woman represents all of humanity. Every one of us is a sinner, and sin is nothing more than adultery against God. Jesus stands before God and the world, refusing to take part in the condemnation and execution of the human race. Instead, he stands to plead our case, to offer us a path to redemption, restoration, and transformation.
If we have received such mercy from God, how can we not show such mercy to others? Instead of supporting an unjust death penalty system and consigning people to a cruel penal system, perhaps we might instead develop well-funded prison ministry programs, re-entry programs, outreach to at-risk populations. It is now our task to be Christ to the world, standing as a path of reconciliation and redemption instead of condemnation and death.
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