In this weekend’s readings we continue the theme of forgiveness. Last weekend in the Gospel of Luke—in the parable of the Prodigal’s Son—we heard of the generosity of God’s love for us. We see in that parable God coming to meet us in our sins and failings, not condemning us but forgiving us and calling us back into the family, as it were, into the love of God. It is a story of magnificence, compassion, of His desire to be with us, His hope for our change. It is about fatherly and motherly love toward a child—even a child that has hurt us, caused us pain, it is a story of the power of parental love that is stronger and more powerful than sin.
In today’s Gospel of John, we hear the story of the woman caught in adultery and brought by the self-righteous of the community to Jesus for punishment according to the law. But what does Jesus do? He asks those in the crowd, those who have brought the woman forward for judgment and punishment, to cast the first stone if they are themselves without sin. No one moves. No one speaks. They simply walk away. As the Christ stands up, He says to the woman, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replies, “No one, sir.” And then we hear those very powerful and comforting words, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and do not sin any more.”
Many will hear this gospel this weekend and jump right to the “obvious” question: “What about the man who was as guilty as the woman? Why isn’t he being stoned to death?” Isn’t that just a question of vengeance and retribution? Isn’t that the wrong question to ask? Rather, should not our attention be drawn to the fact that Jesus Christ draws the sinner—whoever they are—back to God; He is about restoration, not condemnation. Isn’t that the foundation of His forgiveness: That should be our focus too as we hear this Gospel. Jesus was not about assigning guilt but He is about forgiveness of sin and restoration of the person to God; of setting us all on a path toward right relationship with God and others.
Forgiveness—why is it so difficult to dispense and why is guilt so easily handed out by us to others?