This weekend’s readings are bound together by the ever-relevant themes of new beginnings and letting go of the past. And while I cannot spend the time on these readings they deserve, let me give you a little background so you see how they are connected to each other and lead us to reflect on the infinite mercy and patience of God which is constantly recreating our world and our lives.
The book of the prophet Isaiah is divided into two main sections: the first half of the book, the first 39 chapters essentially boil down to the prophet warning Israel what will happen if they continue on their path of trusting material things and worldly powers rather than being faithful to their covenant with God. This first part is sometimes called the Book of Woe. The second half of Isaiah’s preaching is all about salvation and healing. It’s details how God will not give up on his sinful people and how he will raise them up and bring them back to him. This is called the Book of consolation.
Today’s reading comes from the beginning of this book of consolation and it has a very interesting line. After reminding the people of the ways God has already protected and saved them, the prophet says, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” In other words, don’t spend too much time looking back at the amazing things God has done before, as if there was one golden age and you missed it. Rather, look ahead with confidence knowing that the same God who did amazing things for your ancestors wants to do the same for you, if you follow him in faith! Despite your sins, he will make all things new!
The second reading from St. Paul talks about his new life in Christ. He makes the strong statement that everything he used to treasure and think important, he now regards as rubbish compared to knowing Jesus as Lord. Human accomplishments, worldly power, and material riches pale in comparison to knowing Christ and enjoying his friendship in grace. St. Paul makes it very clear that he does not look to the past but strains eagerly ahead towards the goal of every human heart: heavenly glory and joy in Christ Jesus.
Last, we have one of the most marvelous passages from John’s gospel, the woman caught in adultery. If anyone needed a new beginning, it would be her as she is thrown into the middle of the crowd and her sins proclaimed for all to hear! The crowd is ready to send her to a horrible death and the religious leaders of the time feel they have Jesus trapped in a no-win situation. They are willing to destroy this woman’s life simply to feed their pride and take down the Son of God and Mary who has exposed them as hypocrites and religious frauds. One lesson from this story is how destructive and dangerous religious observance can be when it is done for personal glory and ego rather than the worship of Almighty God!
Another lesson is the tightrope of moral goodness Jesus crosses. How often when we try to walk it ourselves, we fall off either side of the narrow band of righteousness! He could have easily scolded the woman for her wicked deeds and made her feel the pain, shame, and punishment of the law. There is no doubt about it, she had sinned and broken God’s law. Or he could have been the hippie savior some imagine him to be and just dismissed her fault as “no big deal.” “Everybody sins”, “we all have weaknesses”, something along those lines.
Displaying the wisdom that only God can have, he acknowledges her sin, he doesn’t minimize it but warns her to go and never do it again. Jesus shows us that he hates sin but but at the same time he loves sinners. He tells the frightened, humiliated woman that he does not condemn her and sets her free, not only from the murderous mob, but also from the doom of self hatred and shame. He has given her a future of grace, a new beginning in her relationship with God to be something more than her past weakness. He does this for her and he does this for us. The rules are the same. Jesus still hates sin: how it hurts us, how it hurts others, and how deeply it hurts him. Our transgressions wound the heart of God more than we can ever imagine. And yet, his love for each of us is so much more than the worst offense we can ever commit. Jesus offers us the same opportunity he gave the woman in today’s gospel; a new beginning, a fresh start free from shame, self-hatred, and regret. But we have to acknowledge our sin and with his grace, “go and sin no more.”
How often the last person left holding the stone, the last one to walk away from condemnation is not others but it is ourselves. Full of self hatred, remorse, and shame, we show no mercy to ourselves over our past failures and feel like we must pay the very last penny for our sins. This is not holy, and sooner or later, that hardness will will be taken out, not only on ourselves but also on others who sin or fall short; first our family and friends, then our co-workers and even complete strangers. The only way to foster a heart of mercy and new beginnings for others is to first receive it ourselves from God, especially in the sacrament of reconciliation.
All of us struggle with sin in our life. All of us have done things we regret or are not proud of. At some time or another, we have all been the woman in the gospel: afraid, ashamed, exposed, brought low because of our weaknesses. Today’s Scriptures remind us that this is a reason for hope. God loves sinners in every age of the human race. He doesn’t take our sins lightly but he offers us a new beginning, a second chance fueled by his grace. If you are carrying sin on your soul, stop punishing yourself. If you are secretly burdened by shame, guilt, and self-hatred, stop carrying it around. God gave us the sacrament of confession for this very purpose and we would be fools not to take advantage of this healing gift.
The next time you are overwhelmed by the weight of your sins or you are tempted to condemn another because of their wrongdoing, remember the beautiful line of the poet Oscar Wilde, “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”
