Today's Mass Readings
⛪Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.
The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and said, "Moses commanded us to stone such women." Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. When they continued asking, he said, "Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone." Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. They went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. "Where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir." "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more."
Both halves of Christ's words to her are necessary. "Neither do I condemn you" without "go and sin no more" is permissiveness. "Go and sin no more" without "neither do I condemn you" is despair. The Cross holds both: full mercy and full call to holiness, in the same breath.
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