Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
By Beth DeCristofaro
Through tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly … Susanna cried aloud: “O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. … The Lord heard her prayer. (Daniel 13: 35, 42, 44)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:2)
So he was left alone with the woman (caught in adultery) 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 any more.” (John 8:9-11)
Piety
Jesus, you who walked in my shoes as a man, you know what is hidden away in my heart. You know the shame, guilt, falsifications, meanness which I hide from everyone else. Yet you love me. You know of the dark valleys in which I find myself: anxieties, angers, depressions, illnesses, my need to keep up with the neighbors or prove my worth through career or other successes. Yet you love me. Thank you, God, for your eternal well of care, love, forgiveness and redemption. Though I walk in dark valleys I look for you and long for still waters and green landscapes in which to ponder your awesome wonder. May you always be before me, Jesus, my brother and my king. Amen.
Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/031008.shtml
In their haste to judge, based on culture, practice and commonly held “truth”, Susannah is falsely condemned. Jesus, however, did not condemn the woman caught in adultery. We do not know what is in the hearts of others. We can know our own heart if we take the time to be aware of ourselves and our interior movements. In knowing our own hearts we can find both the strengths and weaknesses of the saint and the sinner. God loves both.
“Go, and from now on do not sin any more (John 8:11),” Jesus says to the woman and to us. We have every opportunity to begin again. When our teenaged son “borrows” the car without permission and joyrides with his friends or our daughter who complains that because she has such “stupid” teachers she will not be bothered to finish her school work, we do not condone but neither do we condemn. When a colleague at work spoils the project on which the team is working, it is difficult not to condemn; yet how do we continue to work with her/him if we do? And perhaps, most difficult of all, in our heart of hearts we continue to damage our own self if we condemn ourselves for the hurts, slights, misunderstandings or neglect we have imposed on another. We wall ourselves off from our own loving core in which God resides.
Judgment puts up walls, mercy tears them down. We isolate ourselves – even to ourselves - by judging. If we can lift up our eyes and trust God wholeheartedly, God will take care of us and the one caught in sin. Isn’t this hard enough? When we ask for God’s help, God will help just as the crowd asked for Jesus’ help. He gave the crowd and the woman help which they had not looked for and perhaps not understood. But it was undoubtedly an answer which they pondered in their hearts. Tradition has it that the forgiven woman became a follower of Jesus. Perhaps members of the crowd came to know him more closely as well. Jesus asks us for the faith to allow him to forgive us so that we can follow more closely.
Action
Psalm 23 is often said at times of illness or death. This beautiful psalm can also be said in times of estrangement, mental illness, sin. Pray this psalm slowly, with the image of Jesus guiding you along the still waters. Imagine, walking with you is one you need to forgive. Perhaps that one you need to forgive is yourself.
A lovely illustrated version: http://misslink.org/chapel/scriptures/psalm23p1.html
PSALM 23
The Lord, Shepherd and Host
A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
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