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

 

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