St. Patrick's Day - March 17, 2013

March 17, 2013

5^th Sunday of Lent C

Isaiah 43: 16-21; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11
I look at the woman in the Gospel story and try to imagine what was going on inside of her? She was caught in the act of adultery; she expected to be stoned to death because that was the penalty in the Mosaic Law. Instead she was dragged by these ‘self-righteous scribes and Pharisees in front of Jesus as ‘certain evidence’ of her guilt and proving Jesus a phony. John doesn’t say whether she was a religious person. Did she know who Jesus was; had she heard Him? Did this now encounter with this ‘holy man’ make her feel that it was all over and that now ‘God couldn’t possibly forgive her or care for her.”
The scene shifts: in spite of shaming and humiliating the woman and even the murderous feeling the scribes and Pharisees had, Jesus stayed so calm and peaceful and was absolutely gentle in His approach. I am certain that John is describing the attitude of God in front of sinners: gentleness, total concern for the sinner, forgiveness and mercy if asked of Jesus. At the same time these ‘accusers’ are the epitome of sullenness, public shaming, no concern for one’s feeling and an absolute despicable attitude of non-forgiveness. And Jesus didn’t condemn them either, He exposed them. Did He do this to give them time to reflect on how they were interpreting the ‘letter’ of the Law of Moses rather than looking into the intent of the law? Jesus showed that His journey was one of mercy and forgiveness; not judgment and condemnation.
It is so easy for me to examine myself and look into the condemnatory attitude that so easily crops up in me. Am I willing to extend to others the same compassion I would like to receive if I was involved in a similar situation? If God is best at His mercy then there can be no more important thing in my life than to show compassion. And Jesus says, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” How much do I put up with before ‘I explode?’ Jesus did not come to condemn but to save. Am I listening and reflecting on how He continues to save me? Yet I, in my absolute ignorance and prejudice consider myself better than others. So I ‘pick up stones’ to throw. And Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on do not sin any more.”

Today is the feast of St. Patrick. Growing up in an Irish family, I couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t wear green. Then when I grew older, I thought that only ‘Irish’ should wear green. And then March 17 the day of Patrick’s death was a day of joy and celebration because everyone loved this saint. Then I discovered a message from him to me: compassion for your persecutors and loving them and spreading the good news especially to them. Some tidbits from Patrick’s life:

• He was Catholic to start with but admits that he was not a good one.
  
• His father was a government official and Patrick enjoyed the comforts of the ‘well-off.’
  
• He described himself at 16 as a scatterbrained youth who had “turned away from God and did not keep His commandments.”
  
• He was kidnapped and sold as a slave and was a ‘slave’ on a farm for six years, he had no friends, and suffered without adequate food or shelter.
  
• He discovered, “God showed me how to have faith in Him forever, as one who is never to be doubted.”
  
• He followed God’s instructions on how to escape and God protected him all the way home.
  
• His parents wanted to keep him home but his love for God led him to want to serve God as a priest.
  
• Even more, his love for others led him to want to return to the people who captured and enslaved him and teach them about God.
  
• After overcoming many obstacles, including being rejected by Church officials and his lack of education and social graces he returned to Ireland as a bishop.
  
• He wasn’t greeted with open arms and said, “… daily I expect either murder, or robbery, or enslavement.”
  
• “They seized me with my companions and on that day they most eagerly desired to kill me; but my time had not yet come. And everything they found with us they plundered, and myself they bound in chains.”
  
• He served for 30 years.
  

HOW DO I RESPOND TO THIS….by celebrating and in St. Patrick’s own words calling each person to holiness: he asks those who believe and love him to “strengthen and confirm their faith…That will be my glory, for a wise son is the glory of His father…I give thanks to God who kept me faithful.”
God is doing that to me…He showed that to the scribes and Pharisees, and the woman in the gospel and to me.
So I reflect on two examples of Compassion and Forgiveness:
From the dairy of Etty Hillesum, a young woman in a WWII concentration camp: “I will have to pay tonight for that German soldier…he is suffering, too…on both sides of those borders [being human beings] people are suffering and one should pray for all of them. Good night.”
A piece of brown packing paper was found on the body of a dead child in Ravensbruck concentration camp, “O God, do not think only of the women and men of good will, but think also of those of bad will. Do not only think of the suffering they caused us, but also of the fruits that suffering produced: our comradeship, our fidelity, our humility, our generosity, and the greatness of heart that has been growing out of all this. When they come to judgment, let the fruits we rendered be their forgiveness.”
Sacred Space helps me so much, “The people asked a question for which they wanted to hear only one answer. Jesus did not engage in a dialogue with them. As I come to pray, I am reminded to listen for the voice of Jesus in dialogue with me, not saying only what I want to hear.”
Lord let me know Your forgiveness of me and let me forgive accordingly. I can’t do this on my own; I can only do this by being open to Your grace. Amen.