John 8:9
"And in response, [the scribes and the Pharisees] went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So [Jesus] was left alone with the woman before him."
Imagine yourself in the place of the woman caught in adultery. For a woman in Jesus' time, an accusation of adultery was bad news whether she was guilty or not. Even if she was found innocent, that label and the accompanied suspicions would be with her forever. Sometimes when we get caught up in sins or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, we become our worst critics and harshest judges. We believe what other people, who have no concern for our well-being, say about us. Maybe you've been there before, maybe you know what it's like to have the crowd against you.
But then Jesus comes in and changes everything. The one who knows the human heart better than anyone makes a better judgment. He sends away those who gossip and look for reasons to condemn people because he knows that their hearts don't care about the woman, they only care about justifying themselves. He meets this woman, looks at her, loves her, and forgives her. She stands alone before him and gets back her dignity as a daughter of God. Do you need to be alone with Jesus today? What could he do for you? How could he change your life?
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Zach Brasseur, Pastoral Year, St. Timothy
Home parish :St. Paul, St. Petersburg
Did you know...
Zach is an alumnus of Saint Leo University. Some of his favorite things are Kahwa coffee, Rays baseball, and one of the greatest films ever produced, "Nacho Libre".
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
