"Nor do I condemn you..."
John 8:11
Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery that he is not condemning her. He has told those who were condemning her that the one who is sinless should throw the first stone at her and they all drift away, fittingly. This Gospel, to me, always speaks of the death penalty and the fact that we should not take the life of another human being in the name of our little human "justice." Only God can give and take life. But it also goes further, as Jesus tends to do, and tells us that we should never condemn each other. It's another way Jesus tells us not to judge each other. Jesus does not condemn this woman, who was caught in the act of wrong-doing (no mention of her paramour, of course). So, even as someone sins, as we all do, we are not to condemn each other. We are to leave such judgments to God and the true justice that only God can give. Today, as we go about the last week before Holy Week, let's be aware of the many times per day we are tempted to condemn others. And let this scripture remind us not to. Love, heidi
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