Breaking Open the Word

By James Cavanagh

March 21: Fifth Sunday of Lent

Scripture readings:

• Isaiah 43:16-21
• Psalm 126:1-6
• Philippians 3:8-14
• John 8:1-11

Overview:In our first reading Isaiah addresses his countrymen living in exile in Babylon. He reminds them of the Exodus and how God brought their ancestors out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the desert to the Promised Land. Now, Isaiah tells them, God is “doing something new!” Always faithful to his promises, God will once again deliver his people from bondage and lead them back to the Promised Land. Exile is a recurring theme in Scripture. On a spiritual level it represents separation from God due to sin. In this way, the first reading sets the stage for the Gospel. Psalm 126 celebrates Israel’s deliverance from exile. Those who went away weeping now laugh as they “come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.” St. Paul knew a thing or two about exile. He was frequently imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. His letter to the Philippians was written during one of those imprisonments.  “Forgetting what lies behind,” he says, “but straining forward to what lies ahead” Paul had his sights set on “God’s upward calling.”   This week’s Gospel tells the familiar story of the woman caught in adultery. When one is enslaved by sin he, or she, is exiled from God. Jesus had great compassion for her because he saw how she was trapped by sin and alienated from God. Jesus came not to condemn sinners, but to save them by delivering them from the bondage of sin and restoring them to a right relationship to God. 

Key verse: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more” (Jn 8:11).

“Catechism of the Catholic Church:” “The tradition of the Church has understood the sixth commandment as encompassing the whole of human sexuality. Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy” (No. 2336, 2339).

Pope Benedict XVI: “Today’s Gospel passage helps us understand that only God’s love can change man’s life and thus every society from within, for it is God’s infinite love alone that sets him free from sin, which is the root of all evil. If it is true that God is justice, we should not forget that above all he is love. If he hates sin, it is because he loves every human person infinitely” (Homily, March 25, 2007).

Life application: Contrary to popular opinion, sexual license is not a formula for human happiness but only leads to heartbreak. Those who do what they want when they want with whomever they want are not really free, but are rather slaves to sin and alienated from God. True freedom comes from following Christ and mastering our passions. But our passions are strong. We can’t master them on our own. We need God’s help, which he gives us in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist and confession.