Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent 2023
“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.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
-John 8:6-11
I recently had the privilege of leading a 5-week series on the New Testament Letter of James at a local parish here in Milwaukee. Although James is a relatively short text, it is filled with practical and challenging teachings, and it can be understood as a sort of handbook of the Christian life. James is especially concerned with integrity of our Christian communities, and he dedicates a significant portion of the text to the themes of caring for the poor, to the use of speech, and to how we judge others.
As someone who has been involved with adult faith formation for several years, I have noticed that many people become uneasy when we being to talk about judging others, particularly when we talk about why we should avoid judging others. Because of this, I’ve tried to be mindful of the place of judgment in my own relationships and of how judgmental attitudes can erode our Christian witness and the health of our parishes and religious communities. What have I learned?
All of this is hard.
We live in a culture that jumps to judgment. One thing that is especially true for those of us who have been formed by U.S.- or Euro-American culture is that there are “white hats” and “black hats” (think of the classic American Western like “The Lone Ranger” or “Westworld”). We want to have that “enemy,” that “other,” whom we can identify as threat to what we hold dear. In a sense, we try to affirm our goodness and virtue by contrasting our actions and attitudes against the faults or failings of another. And yet, the Readings for this Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent push back against this tendency as they invite us to reflect upon how and why we judge others.
La femme adultère seule avec Jésus by James Tissot (1886-1894)
In the First Reading, we hear the story of Susanna from the Book of Daniel. Reduced to being nothing more than an object of lust for two men who were esteemed as “judges” (entrusted with the authority to discern right from wrong), Susanna is condemned to death for allegedly violating her marital commitment by the very men who tried to coerce her into having sex with them. The Book of Daniel tells us:
“Look,” they said, “the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us;
give in to our desire, and lie with us.
If you refuse, we will testify against you
that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you.” (13:20-21)
Although she is faced with a life-or-death decision, Susanna places her trust in God and chooses to submit herself to the ordeal. Ultimately it is the youth Daniel who is able to recognize the duplicity of those who had accused this sinless woman and who gives voice to the condemnation they would receive because they tried to prey on the innocent.
The Gospel proclaimed today offers us an equally complex scenario, as Jesus is asked to judge the case of a woman “caught in adultery” (John 8:3).
First, why is this story about the woman, and not also the man, who would also have been “caught”? Where is he? Although we do not have the sense of innocence that is conveyed by the story from Daniel, we do find that, in both stories, the one being judged is a woman. Historically and culturally, these women would be more vulnerable. In both instances, it is those with power—and with something to lose—who are willing to sacrifice someone they have judged to be unworthy, as a way to bolster their status and perspective.
One of the dark realities of our culture and, we could say, of human nature itself, is that we choose to focus our energy, our judgment, on those who threaten our privilege or our priorities. We can see this played out in technicolor in the hateful, prejudiced discourse of the political arena, but also within the Church. (A great example of this would be the vitriol and judgment aimed at Cardinal McElroy of San Diego, who was subtly accused of heresy by some who found his theological inquiry at odds with their own worldview.) The sad fact is that judgment—and condemnation—are most often reserved for those who are already marginalized and who's very being is an affront to the preferences of a few. (Here, we can think of the ongoing undermining of the rights and voices of migrants, those living in poverty, People of Color, and LGBTQ persons, as well the hate spewed at political opponents, books by certain authors or about certain topics, “Critical Race Theory” and other areas of academic inquiry, and even the synodal process called for by Pope Francis as recent examples of a judgement that dehumanizes, and which destroys the integrity of community and communion). This is the dynamic at work in today’s Readings, as those with privilege and power target the vulnerable (innocent and guilty alike) to bolster their own perspective and power.
One of the great lessons I have learned from Letter of James and today’s Readings is that when we judge others, we put ourselves in the place of God. This is why Pope Francis could offer the following reflections in a 2016 homily:
“Today let us think about what the Lord is saying to us: Do not judge, lest you be judged; the measure… by which we judge will be the same that will be used for us; and, third, let us look in the mirror before judging. ‘But she does this … and he does that…’ ‘But, wait a moment …’ I look in the mirror and then I think. On the contrary, I would be a hypocrite if I put myself in the place of God and, also, my judgement is poor judgment. My judgement lacks something very important which God’s judgment possesses, it lacks mercy.”
The liturgy today confronts us with a different reality: the priorities of the Reign of God do not necessarily align with those who have preference or a voice here and now. It is only the one who is innocent—the youthful Daniel and the sinless Christ—who is able to offer right judgment.
As we confront our tendency to judge, it’s important that we are mindful of who it is that is the focus of our time and attention.
Are we simply choosing to home in on specific issues or dynamics that challenge us or make us uncomfortable, but choosing to ignore other ethical or moral questions that also deserve attention and action?
What does it mean that so much rage is focused only on sexual morality and questions of human anthropology, rather than also engaging issues of domestic abuse, economic exploitation, the dignities and rights of workers, or access to water, food, housing, and education (see Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 155)?
These are not simply theoretical issues or philosophical questions. Rather, these realities touch on the lives of countless people who deserve our love and support as God’s beloved daughters and sons.
In the end, today’s liturgy reminds us that judgment is ultimately reserved to the One who is free of the sin and prejudice that cloud our vision. Only God can truly know what is in one’s heart and the circumstances of her or his life and it is not our place to claim the judgment that rightly belongs to God. And, when all is said and done, each of us—like the forgiven woman in the Gospel—will stand alone with the Lord. And that is enough. Who are we to judge what that experience may be for another person, when the most we can ever hope for is to live in integrity of faith within ourselves?
As we approach Holy Week and Easter, we are asked to spend time in reflection and an honest self-assessment. Set judgement aside and take a long, honest look at your own life.
Pray today to be set free from your attachments and certitudes and for the grace humility. But also pray for the grace to see others as they truly are: sisters and brothers of our Heavenly Father, broken and limited—and still loved—individuals who, like us, are called to “glory of the heavenly kingdom” (Collect for the Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent).
O God, by whose wondrous grace
we are enriched with every blessing,
grant us so to pass from former ways to newness of life,
that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly Kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-Collect for Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
