The Innocent - Monday, 5th Week of Lent

 The elders convinced the crowd that she had committed adultery. And, as such, she deserved death. In the case of Susanna (from the book of Daniel, our first reading), Susanna was innocent. And it was Daniel who advocated for her. He was the only one that spoke up and said, "Wait! Wait, why are we believing these snakes? Let's hear the full story before coming to conclusions." And in hearing the full story, the crowd realized that the elders were in fact snakes and should have never been believed in the first place. Susanna-- the innocent-- was spared.

 In the Gospel, we see elders and a crowd coming to Jesus with a women whom (they claim) was "caught in the very act of adultery." 

Strangely, we believe them.

Why do we believe them?

All this time, we have found nothing that really advocates for believing these elders, but here we are, like the people in the case of Susanna, blindly following the crowd and presuming this woman has committed adultery. Perhaps we need to learn something from the forbearance of Daniel and ask questions before coming to conclusions.

For His part, Jesus doesn't ask questions -- He already knows what has happened. He is God. And so He says, "You who have not sinned may cast the first stone." Brilliant line. And notice: He doesn't even engage in the trial of finding out whether or not the woman is guilty. In a way, He is not worried about guilt -- everyone is guilty. That's why He is there. He is the Messiah who comes not for the righteous but the sinner. And that's everyone -- at least, anyone who has any speck of self-reflection.

That said, this passage gives me pause when it comes to conclusions about by neighbor. Maybe they are guilty; maybe they are not. But really that is not my concern. My concern is whether I am right with God. And that also means that He has dealt very mercifully with me; He has advocated for me; and He has had a lot of forbearance with me. Maybe I should do the same when it comes to others. Maybe I should not join the emotionalism, gossip, and judgmentalism of the mob and their desire to throw stones.

Maybe I should just sit with Jesus and draw in the sand, taking in the time which that gives me to reflect, pray, and give another the possibility of being innocent.