In this section you can find a daily commentary on the Gospel of the Day.

Sunday 7 April 2019

Fifth  Sunday of Lent – Year C

Word for today
The Gospel of John 8:1-11

Orientation

Walking with our feet and legs in one direction while our head is looking in a different direction is dangerous and not at all effective. It is the orientation of our heart which determines our earthly journey,  the inner and outer places of our trip, even when words, beliefs follow a different route.
Interior orientation inclined to constantly criticize people, ourselves, and God assures a earthly journey across lands of indifference and loneliness.
Interior orientation inclined to challenge leads to a earthly journey across slippery lands full of tension, unrest and panic. Interior orientation inclined to self-doubt results in a earthly journey across arid lands full of indecision and perfectionism.
Interior orientation inclined to doubt originates an earthly journey across rocky lands wit neither sews nor fruits.
Interior orientation inclined to ingratitude originates an earthly journey across salty and rocky lands full of gossip and slander.
Interior orientation inclined to nuisance leads to an earthly journey across dark lands dangerously enclosed by beliefs and prejudices.
Interior orientation inclined to put ourselves to the test results in an earthly journey deaf and blind to any beauty and happiness.
Interior orientation inclined to put the others to the test leads to a journey full of wounds and sadness.
Interior orientation inclined to put God to the test originates an inner journey across the dark places of arrogance to violence.
If our heart is in defiance against God's mercy, annoyed by His tenderness, how can  we reach the way of love? If our heart is drowned in justifications, how can we get closer to the transparency of truth?
If our heart is full of resentment towards the others, how will we ever enjoy a single fragment of peace and happiness? It is dangerous and not at all effective to try to follow God with our mental convictions, while our heart is inclined to judgement and condemnation. It is tragically unjust and violent doing harm to our brothers for the sake of truth and in the name of justice. Who among us is so impeccably inclined to love, truth, justice, goodness that he/she can judge his/her brothers?
Can a heart disposed to God condemn anyone? Can a heart completely immersed in love judge, slander, put brothers to the test? Only Jesus can be said to be absolutely innocent and holy, and that is why Jesus does not condemn but saves, does not crush but raises, does not betray but embraces, does not accuse, but heals any wound. Words, beliefs, conventions, respectability, conformity, law, regulations, ordinances, rules, interest, lies, deception, power, fear, armies, courts will never be able to completely hide the orientation of a heart.
This is why Jesus, in response to the scribes and the pharisees, wrote on the ground with his finger. It is a clear sign of the total emptiness of their plot, that is to bring the adulterous woman onto the stage of prosecution. Jesus writes on the ground the perverse inconsistency, vanity, conceit, shallowness of the spiritual attitude of the scribes and Pharisees, who are so inclined to misuse their social position, to deny the truth, to profane all beauty, to insult grace and mercy that they will only sow violence and death.
Being inclined to judgment, discomfort, criticism is to write a useless life, full of vanity and sand in the wind, it is like a life that does not exist.
Jesus says, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She replied, "No one, sir," because indeed those who live with a judging and condemning attitude towards the others, do not exist, are nothing in front of God and Life.