Upcoming Catholic Holy Days
We are in Lent: Ash Wednesday, March 2 to Holy Saturday, April 16. 40 days (46 days minus 6 Sundays)
Paschal Triduum – April 14-16: Holy Thursday to the Easter Vigil (April 14-16). Triduum means “three days” and refers to the three days of prayer preceding Easter. No bells can be rung, no organs can play, and no weddings can be performed during this time.
Easter Sunday – April 17 – the most important event in Christianity
Opening Prayer
Our Father who Art in Heaven, Holy be Thy Name
They Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our Daily Bread
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Q: What is the meaning of the 6th petition: “And lead us not into temptation”?
This is usually the most confusing petition in the Lord’s Prayer. God tempts no one; on the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. On the other hand, He does allow us to be tempted, because we have free-will.
Part of the confusion is that ‘temptation’ also translates as “trials,” and in this there is a distinction. “Temptations” are usually allurements on the side of pleasure that lead us into sinful decisions. And though God can never be part of these (unless you are asking for His help to escape them), He is involved in our trials, which every human must face – both physically and spiritually – in order for us to grow. Just as child in the world learns to make good decisions, such as don’t touch the fire, or look both ways before you cross the street, we also require trials to hone our wills and spiritual skills. If one is never tested, one will never improve. Let’s listen to James on this:
Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will received the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and if sin reaches maturity, it brings forth death.” – James 1:12-15
One should remember that Abraham and Jesus had trials. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. In the end, it was Jesus who took Isaac’s place. Sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, all things are possible for you – take this cup away from me; yet not what I will, but what you will.” – Mk 14:36
These examples are famous because they were both incredible and rare. We typically won’t face such trials, but what God wants us to learn is that true freedom is freedom from evil and sin; everything else leads to death and destruction. We are here to learn this and He wants to help us, but He can’t decide for us.
In the 6th petition, we are praying two things: “trials are understandable, Lord, but help us be strong enough for them! And let us not fall to temptation, but help us avoid it and, when we ignore you and enter into temptation anyway, please lead us out of it!”
If that isn’t enough to clear things up, last year Pope Francis approved this interpretation: “Do not let us fall into temptation.” If you prefer wording closer to the existing words, try this: “Lead us away from temptation” or “Lead us out of temptation.”
Gospel Week
The Woman Caught in Adultery
For the story of the woman caught in adultery, we would normally just read John 8:1-11, but we will back up a bit for context. The Pharisees and scribes disliked Jesus for many reasons: he was from Galilee and not properly trained in the Temple; he talked excessively about forgiveness rather than Jewish law and justice (read: harsh judgment); he spent his time with sinners and outcasts; and they especially didn’t like how many people were following him. He was a challenge to their authority.
One other thing: it is helpful to know that the Pharisees did not consider themselves sinners. They followed the laws meticulously – supposedly all 613 of them. In fact, the name “Pharisee” means “separate,” meaning separated from the unclean. Yet, Jesus called them sinners. How do you think that went over? Jesus had to go; it was only a matter of time.
As we know in the story, the Pharisees and scribes march an adulterous woman into the middle of Jesus preaching and ask him for his judgment. It’s a trap. However, before we begin reading of this famous encounter, it might be helpful if we read parts of Chapter 7 to set the stage.
The setting is in the autumn during the Feast of Tabernacles (sometimes called the Feast of Booths (or Tents), which in Hebrew is called Sukkot “tent”) – a 7 day festival memorializing the 40 years the Jews lived in tents after the Exodus from Egyptian slavery. Jesus did not come to the beginning of the festival as earlier passages indicate his apostles knew of a threat of arrest and advised him not to go; so he sent his apostles ahead. This feast was one of the required annual pilgrimages – all adult Jewish males had to attend. As Jesus does not break Jewish laws, he goes and arrives during the last 2 days of the festival. Being one of the required annual pilgrimages, Jerusalem was packed with upwards of a 100,000 people, which was stunning for that time.
So, now we know that this event is taking place in the fall, during the Festival of Tabernacles, and in Jerusalem – and not only Jerusalem but inside the Temple grounds.
See the picture of Herod’s Temple below to see where Jesus is teaching (the Women’s Court).
Taken from John 7:
The Jews were looking for him at the feast and saying, “Where is he?”
And there was considerable murmuring about him in the crowds. Some said, “He is a good man,” while others said, “No, on the contrary, he misleads the crowd.”
Still, no one spoke openly about him because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
When the feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple area and began to teach.
The Jews were amazed and said, “How does he know scripture without having studied?”
Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not my own but is from the one who sent me.
So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah?”
Many of the crowd began to believe in him, and said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man has done?”
The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring about him to this effect, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent guards to arrest him.
Some in the crowd who heard these words said, “This is truly the Prophet.”
Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.”
So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? This crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?”
They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
Then each went to his own house, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
- John 7:11-16, 25-26, 31-32, 40-41, 43-47,49-52
We can kind of see from Chapter 7 that there are already rumors about arresting Jesus. Sure enough, there is an attempt to arrest him. At the end of the day, Jesus leaves for the Mount of Olives.
He isn’t gone for long, though, as he returns to the Temple grounds and starts teaching again the very next morning. This is when today’s reading begins.
The Woman Caught in Adultery John 8:1-11
Early the next morning, he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
They asked him this as a test, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman 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 anymore.”
Let’s review…
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They asked him this as a test
Q: What is this “test”?
The Pharisees say the Law requires that the adulterous woman be stoned. A) If Jesus forgives the woman, they can accuse him of violating Mosaic Law, have him thrown out of the temple as a charlatan, and possibly even arrested.
If Jesus agrees the woman should be stoned, the Pharisees would allow it happen and then have him arrested because only the Romans can authorize executions.
Either way, they’d have him.
Q: Did the Pharisees have the Mosaic Law on their side?
Not 100%. First of all, it says that both the man and the woman shall be brought to justice. They have only brought the woman, but no man. The Pharisees probably don’t care anything about the woman – or justice. They just want Jesus.
Secondly, the Mosaic Law does not say they must be stoned to death for this crime. That was a later development in the law.
Third, the Law says 2 or 3 witnesses are required. They haven’t produced any witnesses.
Q. Jesus does not initially respond to their question but remains silent. Why?
John Paul II suggested that perhaps Jesus was giving everyone a moment for self-reflection – for the woman and the audience.
Q: While Jesus is silent, he starts drawing in the sand. What’s that about?
Nobody knows for sure but we can guess a few things. Augustine notes that this gesture portrays Christ as the divine legislator, noting that God wrote the law (10 Commandments) with his finger on the stone tablets. Another OT reference is the miraculous but frightening hand (all by itself) that appeared in Daniel 5, writing on the wall and condemning King Belshazzar while he was giving a banquet. A third speculation is that Jesus was writing down the sins of the woman’s accusers. All of these reflect “acts of God.”
Q: Jesus turns the tables and springs a trap back on them. How does he do this?
Note that Deut 17: 6-7 says:
Only on the testimony of two or three witnesses shall a person be put to death; no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. The hands of the witnesses shall be the first raised to put the person to death, and afterward the hands of all the people.
This means that the ones to throw the first stones had to be the first-hand witnesses to the adultery.
Q: What did this mean to Jesus’ audience and what was the punishment for Jewish perjury?
1) The punishment for perjury was excommunication from the Temple; not only for regular Jews but also the Pharisees and scribes.
2) Remember, the Pharisees did not believe they sinned, and “outward appearances” were very important. If one of them falsely claimed to be a witness in front of his peers, he could no longer make such a claim and would face excommunication.
3) Anyone who perjured themselves as a witness to this crime would be unfairly causing the murder of the accused, whether the accused was guilty or not. By the Law, a guilty verdict required 2-3 truthful witnesses. Therefore, they would be facing God’s judgment on two charges: bearing false witness (8th Commandment) and murder (5th Commandment).
Now you can see why Jesus’ simple statement, “those who have not sinned, cast the first stone” caused his audience – particularly the Pharisees and scribes – to pause and think for a moment. The reason the elder Pharisees were the first to drop their stones is because they were the first ones to get it.
Q: Jesus tells the woman he is not condemning her, but “from now on do not sin anymore.” What is Jesus’ message here?
First, this tells us that the woman is guilty of something.
Second, he is not condemning the sinner; yet neither is the sin excused. He is forgiving her but he gives the condition of changing her behavior. He is leaving the door open to the woman – the door to heaven.
These last words of the story show that God does not want sinners to die, but to repent of their mistakes and LIVE.
“I came not to judge the world but to save it.” - Jn 12:4
St. John Paul II adds this:
“This Gospel passage clearly teaches that Christian forgiveness is not synonymous with mere tolerance, but implies something more demanding. It does not mean overlooking evil, or even worse, denying it. God does not forgive evil but the individual, and he teaches us to distinguish the evil act, which as such must be condemned, from the person who has committed it, to whom he offers the possibility of changing. While man tends to identify the sinner with his sin, closing every escape, the heavenly Father sent his Son into the world to offer everyone a way out.”
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