As we draw near to the culmination of our Lenten journey, this Sunday’s lessons inspire us to recall God’s powerful deeds in the past and declare a remarkable new deliverance. In the first reading of today, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of a “new thing” that God is about to do, a miraculous act that satisfies the thirst of God’s chosen ones, so that they in turn can declare God’s praise. To corroborate this, the psalmist recalls the Lord “restoring the fortunes of Zion” and the great rejoicing that accompanied it. How it seemed like a dream when the Lord called back the exiles of Sion.
“Then was our mouth filled with laughter’ he writes. Such is the ‘new thing’ of which the prophet Isaiah speaks of. This draws our minds to some sort of Exodus. But this time, we speak not of an exodus from Egypt to the Promise Land as in the figure of Moses in the Transfiguration event, nor an exodus from the worship of the true God as in the figure of Elijah in the same event, but a definitive exodus from Sin to Righteousness; a Spiritual exodus in Christ Jesus. Thus, St. Paul writing to the Philippians, contrasts his former days of being ‘righteous under the law’ with this “new thing” that God has done—righteousness and a new deliverance through Jesus Christ which leads only to the worship of God in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24).
Jesus gives us an instance of this “new thing” in the gospel reading of today from John 8:1-11, when he welcomes an adulterous woman into his love and righteousness. Interesting is the very fact that the Scribes and Pharisees quoted the (old) law to Jesus when they brought this woman to him; ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of Adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to this to death by stoning’ (John 8:4-5). This is in line with the scriptural injunction of Leviticus 20: 10 (If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbour-both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death), and Deuteronomy 22:22 (“If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall purge the evil from Israel). Worthy of note is the very fact that their adherence to the law was faulty, evident in the absence of the male ‘partner in crime,’ as the law prescribes that both adulterer and adulteress be put to death.
However, albeit this woman was only a victim for collateral damage, as they only wanted to test Jesus (John 8:6) she however was guilty as charged. But Jesus, rather than condemn her according to the (old) law, offers her deliverance and a fresh start with the encouraging words, “Go and sin no more.” Therefore, reminding us that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death. For, what the law was powerless to do, God did in his own Son, to become a sin offering; and so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:1-5). This is the spiritual exodus, the ‘new thing’ that Jesus wills to accomplish in us.
To draw us out of the bitter pain of sin and death, into the joys of righteousness and eternal happiness. Dear friends, as we draw close to the celebration of the Paschal festivities, beginning with the celebration of Palm Sunday in the coming week, the word of God draws our mind to the very fact that Jesus, through his death and resurrection, is doing ‘a new thing’ in us. The liturgy of today invites us to reflection on God’s mercy and his invitation to a new beginning, his call to newness of life. It invites us to seek a deeper relationship with Christ Jesus.
St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, that nothing can and nothing should outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Jesus. And for this he counts every other thing as ‘rubbish,’ seeking only the perfection that comes from faith in Jesus and the power of his resurrection. Have we really sought after that supreme advantage of knowing Christ in this period of lent? Have we like St Paul poured contempt on all our sinful pride in order to become beneficiaries of this ‘new thing,’ this ‘new life’ that Jesus is offering us by his Paschal Mysteries. It is never too late to join Jesus on his way of the cross; it is never too late to become partakers of this New Life that Jesus is offering us.
The first reading encourages us thus, ‘no need to recall the past, no need to think about what was done before,’ because no matter what our past has been, like Mary Magdalene, Jesus is offering us a new beginning, a fresh start with those encouraging words, “Go and sin no more!” May the Holy Spirit grant us newness of heart, and renewed vigor in our Lenten journey, that we may sing the Easter praise with hearts made pure, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
• Rev. Fr. Ethelbert Chukwunomso Umenwanne is the Associate Parish Priest, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Aradagun, Badagry
