Still Standing (Lent, 5th Sunday, 2016-03-13)

5^th Sunday of Lent Year C

2016 March 13

[ ● Isaiah 43:16-21 ● Psalm 126 ●    Philippians 3:8-14  ● John 8:1-11  ]

[__01__]     Standing. Standing on one’s own two feet.

It is a traditional posture and act of respect to stand up in the presence of another person.

For example, we see this when the bride walks up the aisle at her wedding, before the ceremony and exchange of vows.

We observe this again when the bride and groom walk down the aisle after their vows.

In New York or Washington, D.C., when the president or a Secretary of State or a Pope enters the room, enters the United Nations or United States Congress, all will rise.

And, when Pope Francis drove through New York and Central Park, people stood, climbed trees or went to upper floors and balconies to gain the best possible view. They rose up.

Standing is a sign of respect for the other person.

In this regard, we stand for the Gospel at Sunday Mass, recognizing that in the Gospel, we hear the word and encounter the presence and wisdom of our Savior.

[__02__]  Jesus stood, he straightened up, on his own two feet to address the woman in this Gospel, the woman brought before him accused and caught by others.

On the one hand, we could say that our Lord stood in order to show authority.

The crowd of local vigilantes scattered when he spoke and stood up to them.

On the other hand, we could also say that he stood on his two feet out of respect, out of love, out of compassion and mercy for the woman.

Very few would have stood in her presence.

[__03__]   While others were sitting and, perhaps, calculating or measuring her guilt and penalty, Jesus was standing.

And, equally important, our Savior was help this woman stand also, to rise, pick up her mat and walk.

[__***P A U S E***__]  

[__04__]   When we become aware of our sins – or accused of our sins – we may also find it hard to stand up and walk.

Jesus shares this fragility brokenness – this spiritual disability -  with us. That is, Jesus shares this with us because he takes the full weight of our sins upon himself, upon the cross.

St. Paul wrote, in 2^nd Corinthians, chapter 5,  reminds that by our baptism, by our faith, by our sacramental encounter with Christ in penance and reconciliation we are made a “new creation” and “new person” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Paul reminds that Jesus is the one through whom we are reconciled to God. 

The Pharisees and scribes were expecting Jesus to demand punishment for the woman.   But, if this were the case, then all of them should be punished too.

“Let he is without sin….”  (we know the rest)

Jesus shares our fragility brokenness – this spiritual disability  . Jesus shares this with us because he takes the full weight of our sins upon himself, upon the cross.

We read in the letter to the Hebrews:

“Jesus is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

Jesus died for this woman’s sinfulness, and for your sinfulness and for my sinfulness.

Jesus was pushed to the ground, fell 3 times on the way to Calvary so that we could stand.

[__05__]  The American Trappist monk and writer, Thomas Merton, observed that suffering is the consequence of sinfulness.

We all, at times, suffer due to our sinfulness…or because of the sinfulness of others.

Jesus suffered due to sinfulness, because he accepted our guilt to save us.

We even worship Christ, pray to him because of this suffering.

We worship him on the cross.

On the other hand, we do not worship him or simply admire his endurance but we worship him because he rose up suffering and evil.

Merton wrote that we are also called to overcome evil, sinfulness with goodness. Suffering then – in Merton’s description – becomes “good” by accident or by coincidence because this suffering enables us to encounter more abundantly the mercy of God.

In a similar way, we might also say that the suffering we see in another person – the call to compassion – also invites to overcome evil with good.

[__06__]   You and I may resemble at times the woman of the Gospel.   That is, our sin or sinfulness becomes obvious or known to ourselves or others.

Of course, we could say that this was an extreme case in which the accusers were overzealous and judgmental.

It is natural for us to feel condemnation, resentment, retribution after sin – our fault – is discovered. We may even feel that we ourselves deserve this.

Do we not need to be reminded that Jesus died for our sins so that we can be reconciled to him, to God, and to another?

Can you and I not, at times, be overzealous or judgmental of ourselves and others?

[__07.01__]   Do we sit when we could stand? Do we sit in judgment when we could stand out of respect?

For example, do we maintain and sustain friendships with those who challenge us, those who love and nurture us.

Jesus does not merely accept or tolerate the sinner and sinners whom he encounters. He forgives them, he forgives us. 

Forgiveness is both more beautiful and more difficult than tolerance.

We need friendship and love with those through whom we can grow, seek conversion, change.

That is, so that we can stand.

[__07.02__]  Do we sit when we could stand? Do we sit in judgment when we could stand out of respect?

When we recognize faults, fault lines, earthquakes of pride in our own ground and terrain, what do we do?

 Sometimes, these faults or fault lines are minor.

 On the other hand, these faults and fault lines can form a pattern, a geology in our earth.

 They become the rocky ground on which the seed does not grow deep roots.

 They become the rocks and weight of sins which can drag us down.

 They are the stones and rocks upon which we can fall.

 The woman caught by her accusers, you and I are similar –

 We all need the help of Christ to stand, to be forgiven, to walk away from our sins and to walk toward God’s love and mercy.  [__08__]    [_end_]