Master what do you say?

Early in the morning Jesus came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, 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. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (John 8, 1-11)

Through the prophet Isaiah, today God tells us: "I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" I love these words because they tell me two things. First, they tell me that God is a creator God and that even today he is creating new things. He never stopped his work of creation. Second, they invite me to pay attention to what is happening around me. A Christian cannot live without being aware of God’s work, because he wants our help, not in order to create new things but as witnesses and as his messengers to all the people of God. This is our vocation. If we listen attentively to his words we will help in the building of a new world of justice and peace.

What is new in today's gospel? Today, the evangelist John does not write about the wonderful works of Jesus such as the resurrection of the dead or about healing sick people.

John presents Jesus at the moment when his enemies wanted to provoke him in order to accuse him of violating the Law.

The scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery saying: “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

In this story there are some different characters. There is a victim, Jesus. His enemies were plotting against him. There is a woman who was a sinner. There are some people who thought they were just. And there's a crowd of people who came to listen to Jesus teaching. Therefore, Jesus has to protect himself and, at the same time, teach the crowd. It's a very interesting situation!

Jesus is the victim but he is also teacher. He teaches us how to behave in such a delicate situation.

First, he confronts his enemies, but not in the same way as scribes, Pharisees and others always did. Jesus wanted to do justice and, at the same time, to be merciful. So "Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground." What did He write? John does not tell us. Probably he did not write anything. It was only a moment of silence, because he wanted to give his enemies time to reflect on their actions, and to repent. Jesus knew that they would be put to shame. It was an act of mercy!

But they wanted an answer! As a teacher Jesus said to them: "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." This is the moment of truth, a moment of justice! Who is not a sinner?

John wrote: "Once again he bent down and wrote on the ground". Jesus was silent again giving his enemies time to leave in disgrace, one by one, beginning with the elders. For the scribes and Pharisees this moment of shame was also an occasion for repentance, because they were made aware that they were sinners, just like any other. It was a moment of mercy and grace. Did they accept this grace? Who knows!

When the scribes and Pharisees went away, "Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him". The sinner was standing before the source of grace. Jesus said: "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again”. This dialog is very beautiful. This is a dialogue between mercy and justice. Jesus wanted to be merciful towards the woman, but he could not want to be against justice. Therefore, he asked the woman: "No one condemned you? Neither do I!" These words are full of love, which is mercy with justice. Jesus knew that the woman was a sinner. The woman admitted that she had sinned. Jesus knew that she could be healed. For this reason, he told her: "Go, and from now on sin no more!"

Today's liturgy reminds us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Everyone who opens his heart to him will be on his way to truth and life.

Jesus opens our minds and hearts to self-knowledge. Through his cross, Jesus teaches us how important we are to God. For him there are no enemies or sinners. To him we are all friends, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, people who need salvation.

In today's gospel, Jesus provided the opportunity for the scribes and Pharisees to repent, and to the woman he gave the opportunity to start a new life. For us all, every day Jesus gives us his grace to repent and become saints.

"Indeed, nothing will be impossible with God." (Lk 1,37).