Homily for Monday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time

In the biblical account of the adulterous woman brought before Jesus by the Pharisees, they suggested that she should be stoned to death as punishment for her moral failure. However, Jesus did not agree with this approach. He recognized that the situation was much more complex than the Pharisees' simplistic solution allowed for. The Gospel reading highlights that Jesus had a different way of dealing with moral failure that was more compassionate and understanding.

The individuals who presented the woman to Jesus had a limited view of her, only focusing on her recent past. However, without ignoring her sin, Jesus had a more compassionate perspective, taking into consideration her entire life story instead of just one aspect. By seeing the complete picture of her life, he recognized that she had a promising future that those who brought her to him would have denied her from experiencing.

When the Lord looks at us, He sees the entire picture and doesn't become fixated on just one or two details. He hears the full story of our lives. The Lord understands that our story is still unfinished and will only be complete when He transforms our humble bodies into the image of His glorious body.