Monday 5th Week of Lent A 2026

Gospel

John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, 
and all the people started coming to him, 
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman 
who had been caught in adultery 
and made her stand in the middle.
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.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
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 any more.”

 

Jesus answered turning the focus from the woman’s sin to their own sin.

He did this because their motives had nothing to do with the woman and everything to do with their hatred of Jesus… for he challenged their obsession with power and self righteousness.

But his answer also reminds us that being the sinners that we all are, we have little room to point fingers or elevate ourselves above others as if we are greater because we see ourselves as less sinful.

Which is pretty silly of us if you take time to think of it. We are all in this together and since we are called to love our neighbor, it also means to love them even if they sin like we do. For our job isn’t to judge or change anyone but to love them. We are to share what we have been blessed with and share the good news. That’s our role and that is the order of things. Love God and love others. We cannot judge others nor should we place ourselves above anyone. Especially not those we are called to love.