March 13 - Fifth Sunday of Lent: Start afresh from Christ

First Reading  Isaiah 43:16-21
The Lord is doing something new for his people.

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 126:1-6
A song in praise of the Lord's marvelous deeds

Second Reading  Philippians 3:8-14
Paul says that he counts all things as lot and focuses on one goal, Christ.

Gospel Reading
John 8:1-11

Jesusshows a God who is rich in mercy (dives in misericordia). The completeness ofhis forgiveness is most incredible in the words:“neither I condemn you”. Jesusforgives the sinner without condoning the sin. Jesus takes away the weepingfrom this woman’s heart and fills her with hope and new life which God alone canbring. Isaiah’s new deal is confirmed by Jesus. He takes a wasted soul to urnit fruitful in grace. We can catch her sentiments in the words of Isaiah aspresented in the 1st Reading: it must have been like water beenfound suddenly in the desert and rivers started flowing suddenly in thewasteland. Jesus gave a second chance to the sinful woman. He knew that shehad made a mess of her life, but life was not all over for her. She couldrebuild her life back again. We are called upon to lay aside our past (sinfulpast), our brokenness, our failures, the mistakes we have done at the feet ofJesus and to start a fresh from him and so to experience the difference.