Meditation for the fifth Sunday of Lent 6 April 19
“But when they kept asking Him…”
John 8: 1-11
“Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new…”
Isaiah 43:16-21
“When they kept asking Him…”
Yes. Isn’t that the whole point of this story. Not the woman, not the stoning, not even the
Lord stooping to write in the dust… But
the religious leaders, the “holy” ones standing there asking and asking: what should we do Lord? Huh? What do you
say? Stone her? Let her go? Huh? C’mon,
speak up!
And the silence of the Lord.
That is the other element of this story that fascinates me this
morning. The fact that the people have
brought their trial before Him and instead of answering, He remains
silent. Does that sound familiar? I certainly recognize that situation in my own
life. How often do I come to God demanding an answer; putting Him to the test,
in fact. God, if You are real, if You do
care, if You have any control over the world, please show me a sign! Fix my
marriage! Heal my child! Make me more patient! Now!!
But in this story, as in life, God takes His time.
When we come to God demanding an answer, too often our
hearts (mine, for certain) are set on a particular answer. That is all we want.
That is all we are willing to accept. We
are not actually ready to hear God’s answer.
But God is patient with us and willing to wait, allowing our hearts to
open (even just a little), that we might be able to let Him in (even just a
little). And I wonder if that isn’t the
real reason for God’s apparent silence; not that God doesn’t care, or isn’t
willing to answer us –but in the eternal wisdom, He knows that the physics of the
soul requires not “action” but “inaction” to stimulate the desired response?
Jesus remains silent and the people keep asking for an
answer. And then it comes. Unexpected. Challenging.
Yet, simple and in some way always new…
The soul requires the stimulation of silence, of stillness to
begin to stir, to grow, to open up to the song that God has already set humming
within it. Paradoxically, only through the
seeming silence of God –out there-- do we begin to hear the voice of God –within—in
our heart, our soul –quietly singing a song of love, of mercy, of forgiveness.
A song eternal and yet always new.
The answer Jesus gives: Let the one who is without sin cast
the first stone, is not a denial of the law, nor an affirmation of sin. It is a
challenge to the people to live a new way: to live the law more fully, more intentionally;
to walk more closely with God. To live more fully His love. Though too often it can seem like an
impossible challenge, it is actually an invitation. But we have to be willing
to wait (not for God’s answer) but for our hearts (or ears) to be ready to hear
it.
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