March 22, 2021
Monday for Fifth Week of Lent
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Make the person among una wey no get sin be the first to throw stone at her.” John 8:7
This na powerful word wey Jesus talk. The Pharisees wey dey judge and condemn people bring one woman come meet Jesus. E be like say dem catch her “as she dey commit adultery.” She be sinner? Yes, she be sinner true true. But this story no too focus on whether she be sinner or not. Na about how Jesus treat sinners, compared with how the Pharisees wey see themselves as righteous dey judge and condemn sinners.
First of all, make we look this woman. Dem don disgrace her. She don commit sin, dem catch her, and dem bring her before everybody as sinner. How she take react? She no resist. She no continue to deny wetin she do. She no vex. She no fight back. Instead, she stand there with shame, dey wait for her punishment with sorrow for her heart.
The shame wey person feel because of im sins na powerful experience wey fit lead am to true repentance. When we meet person wey sin openly and dey feel shame because of im sin, we must show am compassion. Why? Because the dignity wey the person get always pass im sin. God make every person for Im image and likeness, and every person deserve our compassion. If person harden im heart and refuse to recognise im sin (as e happen with the Pharisees), then e necessary to correct am firmly for holy way, to help am repent. But when person dey feel sorrow and, as e be for this case, shame join the sorrow, then the person don ready to receive compassion.
As Jesus talk say, “Make the person among una wey no get sin be the first to throw stone at her,” no be say He dey call her sin good. Instead, He dey make am clear say nobody get right to condemn. Nobody at all. Even religious leaders no get that right. For many people for our world today, this teaching hard to live by. E don common for news headlines to dey present other people sins wey go cause the biggest shock, almost as if dem no fit stop themselves. Temptation dey come to us every time to vex seriously because of wetin this person or that person don do. E easy for us to shake our heads, condemn dem and treat dem like dirt. In fact, e be like say many people today see am as their duty to act as “watchdogs” against every sin wey dem fit dig out about other people.
Today, think well whether you resemble the Pharisees pass, or you resemble Jesus pass. You for stand there among the crowd, dey want make dem stone this woman wey dem don disgrace? How e be with you today? When you hear about other people sins wey everybody fit see, you dey condemn dem? Or you dey hope say dem go receive mercy? Try to follow the compassionate heart of our divine Lord; and when your own time of judgment reach, you too go receive plenty compassion.
My merciful Lord, You no stop for our sin; You dey look reach our heart. Your love no get end, and e dey fill person with deep wonder and reverence. I thank You for the compassion wey You don show me, and I pray make I always show that same compassion to every sinner around me. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditation Dem for Lent
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