SUNDAY, FIFTH WEEK OF LENT
Is 43: 16-21 Ps 126: 1-6 Phil 3: 8-14 Jn 8: 1-11
PLUGGING THE HOLES
A father came home exhausted, hoping for rest. His young daughter, however, sought his attention. To keep her occupied, he gave her a puzzle: a map of the world cut into pieces. Thinking it would take her hours, he promised her a reward if she could solve it. To his surprise, she returned within minutes, the map perfectly assembled. “How did you do it so quickly?” he asked. “It was easy!” she replied. “On the other side was a picture of a man. When the man was put together right, the world was right.” Jesus’ mission was to restore humanity to its original dignity and reorder the world in harmony with God’s plan. As he declared, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). True fullness of life is found in God, who created us for Himself.
The first reading echoes this theme of restoration and renewal. God speaks through the prophet, reminding His people of His mighty deeds – how He made a path through the sea, defeating their enemies. Yet He urges them: “…see, I am doing something new!” This promise of renewal is fulfilled in Jesus, who transforms our lives and leads us into a new covenant of grace. However, Paul’s reflection in the second reading highlights a challenge: embracing this renewal often requires letting go of what we value most in the world. Paul writes: “I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. …I consider them so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” Paul’s words resonate with Jesus’ invitation to radical transformation. To receive the abundant life Jesus offers, we must reorder our priorities, placing God at the centre. Yet, we often resist this newness by clinging to sin or worldly distractions. Many search for fulfilment in fleeting pleasures – money, power, or ambition – rather than in God. These misplaced priorities lead to brokenness, as we see in today’s Gospel.
The woman caught in adultery represents someone searching for what is missing in her life – love, security, or peace – but in the wrong places. Her actions made her vulnerable to public shame and condemnation. Yet, she is not the only one at fault. The scribes and Pharisees used her sin as a weapon to trap Jesus. Their motives were not about justice but self-interest. Bringing the woman to Jesus, they hoped to force Him into a no-win situation: approving her stoning would violate Roman law, while rejecting it would discredit him as a teacher of Jewish law. Their true goal was to undermine Jesus, using the woman’s life as a tool for their schemes. Jesus responded with divine wisdom and compassion. By writing on the ground, he diffused the tension, giving everyone space for reflection. Then, he challenged their self-righteousness: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, they left, acknowledging their own sinfulness. Alone with the woman, Jesus forgave her, offering her a new beginning: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, do not sin anymore.”
This Gospel reveals both the mercy of Jesus and the brokenness of humanity. Like the woman, we often seek fulfilment in false gods, turning away from the true source of life: God. And like the Pharisees, we can be quick to judge others, blind to our own sins. Instead of lifting others up, we tear them down, believing it elevates us. Paul’s testimony offers a path forward. “Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” As we approach Holy Week, let us heed the words of Isaiah, “See, I am doing something new!” Let us trust in God’s power to transform our tears into joy and our sins into sanctity. Like St. Paul, let us press on toward the goal of knowing Christ more deeply. And like the woman in the Gospel, let us rise from our sins and walk in the newness of life. In our daily lives, may we also become witnesses to God’s mercy, extending forgiveness and compassion to those around us. By doing so, we participate in the “something new” that God is continually working in our world and in our hearts.
Response: What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
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