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 5^th SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: CONDEMNED TO DIE BUT REDEEMED TO LIVE

(John 8:1-11)

Today is the 5th Sunday of Lent. We are drawing closer to the end of the Lenten season. How well have you prepared? How close or far are you to or from God? Are you really appreciating the 40 days with the Lord to be a changed person?

The message today is both for those who are making good effort to be on the path of righteousness and to those who have made mistakes and fallen away.

We are presented today with the theme of condemnation and redemption. At one point or the other, we fall. The scripture was right when it attested that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. If you're making an effort to be holy, do not condemn those who are not yet holy. Lead them by the hand with love to Jesus Christ even as we shall soon enter the holy week. And not with malice like those we read about in the Gospel today who brought the adulterous woman to Jesus for condemnation. Jesus reveals to us the secrets of receiving redemption from God. Let us learn from Christ Our redeemer.

 

FOCUS ON GOD AND LISTEN TO HIM

From Jesus, we learnt the important virtue of staying connected with God. This we saw with the way Jesus went to the mountain. There He got direction and insight on how to overcome the world. When we are connected with God, therefore, we are made one with Him in Holiness. We are united with Him and are charged by His presence. We get inspiration from Him on how best to overcome the world and the temptations in it. When Adam and Eve enjoyed this constant revisiting of God's presence, they were guided by the will of God and never sinned. But when they stayed away and started running from God, their story changed. They were driven out and became in dare need of redemption.

Have you been charged? are you already in the state of grace? Are you basking in the joy of salvation in Christ? Are you getting used to mortification, fasting and abstinence, alms giving, etc?  Ride on! The Lord is your strength. Keep doing it! Keep practising till God perfects you in Christ. Keep looking up to Christ as Peter did when Jesus beckoned him to come. May God keep you going.

On coming down, Jesus entered the Temple and began to teach the people.

The Temple represents the various activities we are going to be reenacting this period. Let us follow each and every one of them. They are highly going to be efficacious for our redemption and sanctification.

Let's heed the voice of the Lord, teaching us the ways of God and interpreting the word to us. May we sit at His feet, relishing the spiritual fruits of repentance, true joy, peace, silence, meditation, and love of the sacred.

 

YOU ARE NOT CONDEMNED!

There are three forces that attempt to condemn the children of God.

These forces include:

The devil:

The word of God calls Him the accuser of our brethren (Rev 12:10), but it quickly added that he has been thrown down. He accused Joshua the high priest before God. God rebuked him (Zechariah 3:1). He accused Job in order to get hold of him and make him fall away from God (Job 1:6-12). Thanks be to God, Job was vindicated.

The accusers playing the role of the devil's advocate want you down, condemned, and destroyed. But the Lord that saved the adulterous woman today is ever near to save you.

 

Others

'Mmadu ka a na aria'. Men are not perfect. But most of the time, they expect perfection more than God. The Pharisees and scribes that brought the woman caught in adultery demonstrated the policing role of men when it has to do with fault finding, destructive criticism, and malicious treatments.

We should not lead people to be condemned. We should not pray God for the elimination of our fellow human beings. We should not seek to disgrace people because of their mistakes.

Are you a victim of blown crime? The adulterous woman might have regretted her actions while still on the way to Jesus. Is there a sinful past of yours people still hold against you?

Listen Child of God, the Lord is telling you today that you are a new creature. Old things have passed away. You're not condemned. Their accusations are not more than the love of God. They are not better than you. You can be the best. You're not as bad as they have defined you. Just go and sin no more, and you will be good with God.

 

The Self

The self is a very strong force that condemns children of God. The conscience continues to torment us without stopping. The sins of our youthful days continue to come again and again to our minds. When they come back to us, some take to alcohol to drive it away. Others get fixated to that sin. Some others are frustrated, depressed and demotivated.

This is a period of healing. You don't need to keep repeating the confession of that particular sin of your past over and over again. The Lord has forgiven you. When it comes to your mind again, simply tell yourself: "The Lord has healed me." "The Lord has set me free."

The Lord has redeemed me with His precious blood. And if the Son of man sets me free, I believe I am free indeed.

Hear what Jesus told the adulterous woman when others left: Has no one condemned you? "She said; no one, Lord." She has already started calling Jesus Lord. Yes! Why not? She was condemned to die, but she has been redeemed to live. That power that can deliver her from those bloodthirsty men must be a great one.

Hear the reply of Jesus to her as well: Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."

 

WHAT A GOOD NEWS!

Beloved in Christ, if God can not condemn you, who else can? You're not condemned to be a slave to that sin. You're not condemned to remain in that sinful relationship. You're not condemned to be held by the vain things that charm you most. You're not condemned by the evil words and gossip of the world.

You have been set free. In this freedom, don't stop worshipping God in spirit and truth. In this freedom, don't go back to your old life of immorality, irresponsibility, lack of spiritual awareness, just name them.

May God bless His word in your heart.

 

LET US PRAY

Thank you, Jesus my Redeemer and Saviour. If men were God, I would have been condemned. But glory to Your name that in You I have a hope of second chance and indeed You have given me many chances. Set me free from the grip of the forces that accuse me daily before Your Divine Majesty and by the virtue of the activities of this Holy season, grant that I may enjoy the privilege and honour of being called Your child through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday (5th Sunday of Lent, Yr C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh