Miracle of Mercy

Casting prayers instead of stones at others

04/03/2017

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.

          This gospel passage always makes me think of two things. First, it reminds me of that joke about this scene. One day Jesus was in a crowd when the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. They asked him what should be her punishment and he answered them, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Suddenly, Jesus heard a small stone go flying by his head. He turned around and said, “Mother, I’m trying to make a point.” I hope there is at least one person here who has not heard that joke before. The punch-line of the joke underscores Jesus precise point, namely, only the sinless may pass judgment, but they judge with mercy.

          The second thing that this gospel conjures up in my mind is a comment by my Scripture professor in seminary. He said, “If I get to heaven, the first question I’ll ask Jesus is what he wrote on that ground that day with his finger.” A lot of ink has been spilled on this Scripture over the ages, but no one knows conclusively what Christ wrote. My preferred interpretation is that each bystander that day saw his or her own sins written in the dirt: a little miracle of mercy. That’s what caused the reaction of everyone leaving, “beginning with the elders.” Maybe some of them even saw sins that could be punishable by stoning. When we see our own sins, we’re a little slower to condemn and a little faster to forgive.

          My friends, today, try to think of someone who has hurt you and you feel the need to condemn, like the Pharisees wanted to condemn the woman caught in adultery. And if you need a little help, I suggest you go see the movie, “The Shack,” where a little girl is abducted and the father wants the perpetrator brought to justice. The father says, “I want him to hurt like he made me hurt.” Have you ever felt like that toward someone? Then, ask Jesus to do a little miracle of mercy for you, by asking him to write on the ground so you can see you own sins. And instead of throwing a stone at that person, throw a prayer at them instead. Pray for those who have hurt you.

          The only two people in the crowd that day who could have condemned the woman caught in adultery were Jesus and Mary. They had every right, under Mosaic law, to stone that woman, but they didn’t. You and I probably shouldn’t condemn others either.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!