Today it struck me in hearing the readings that perhaps the woman caught in the act of adultery may not have actually been caught in the act of adultery. Could it be that she, like Susanna in the first reading, was falsely accused? Was that what Jesus saw in those accusing her, the same evil intent of the men in the first reading?
Throughout these readings, God is portrayed as a peaceful savior of his people. Not once does he attack anyone or force anything.
Fr. Simon Felix Michalski, O.P., calls us to ponder what it means to live a life in the Spirit. Each of us will die and present ourselves before God, but even now on Earth we have the opportunity to participate and share in the Life and Love of the Holy Trinity. We have been called to grow in pursuit of the renewal of our lives in the Spirit, to ask God for it in prayer and and contemplation, and finally to live the Life of the Spirit here and now.
I sin. And as a result, I deserve nothing from God. Everything, everything I receive from God is because of his grace. His free gift to me, given only because God loves me. And this is true for you too.
But the psalm response for today’s Mass reminds us that God is a refuge. We have little else we can count on with certitude. But we can count on the love of God. We have little else we can be certain of tomorrow, but we can be certain tomorrow God will still love us. God is our refuge.
Another reflection from my good friend, Msgr. Richard Lavalley, pastor of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Winooski, Vermont.
Fr. Simon Felix Michalski, O.P., calls our attention to the fact that Jesus knew He would die if He went up to Jerusalem, and yet He went anyway. Why did He go? He went for love of us. Fr. Simon Felix reminds us of this, and then reminds us that we are all called to follow in His footsteps; to be willing to lay down our lives for love of others.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. How much that psalm response resonated with me today. For many reasons, my heart feels a little broken. Stuck at home, I cannot see people I often took for granted when I could.
“We will listen to the Word of God, we will raise our supplication, we will adore the Blessed Sacrament, at the end I will impart the Urbi et orbi Blessing, and you will have the possibility of receiving a plenary indulgence.”
Today we pray for those people who work in government. We pray for all those people who must make difficult decisions during this time of pandemic.
