Source: Neo Jeremiah Voice of the Young Prophet Newsletter (March 13, 2016 issue)

How easy it is for us to find fault on other people that it is for us on ourselves. It is as if we could use magnifying glasses on looking at them but very reluctant to even admit our own mistakes. Even harder for us sometimes to forgive the person who had wronged us. We tend to judge them first based on what they have done, than to consider and try to understand where they are coming from; what pushed them to do so. We fixed our eyes on them, on their faults, already equipped with judgement, not realizing given the same situation, we may have done the very same thing. After all we are all human beings, prone to commit mistakes and sins.

In today’s gospel, nobody had dared to condemn and throw the first stone at the woman who was caught committing adultery. They realized that one way or another, they have also committed sins in their lives, thus they cannot condemn the woman no matter how grave her sin is. More importantly, Jesus neither condemns her, lets her go and told her not to sin again.

How compassionate and forgiving our Lord is! He condemns sins not the sinner, is always willing to accept us and give us another chance to live according to the life of our Christ Jesus. How beautiful it is if we could also forgive those who have wronged us just as our God has forgiven our sins, let go of our judgments and instead pray for them to our God.

In this Lenten season, we should examine ourselves not only for the sims we had committed but also for the times when we denied somebody our forgiveness. Let us pray to our God that He may give us a repenting heart that is forgiving too.

 

~ Shella