Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

John 8:1-11

Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around Him, and he sat down and began to teach them. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. "Teacher," they said to Jesus, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" They said this to trap Jesus so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her." Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. When they heard this they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone with the woman still standing there. He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?"

 "No one, sir," she answered.

 "Well then." Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again."

I love this gospel reading.  It is no surprise, since as post abortive people we all can relate to the woman who was caught in adultery. I am sure her feelings were very much the same as the ones we have experienced. Guilt, shame, confusion, anxiety, fear of condemnation. I am sure she felt like the worst sinner in the world.

But, Jesus did not condemn her, instead we are told, he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. I often think of how He did this so that she would not feel ashamed or embarrassed. He did not want to increase her anxiety and fear, but instead wanted to invite her to trust in His mercy.

Unlike Jesus, the people around her were condemning her. They had picked up their stones ready to put her to death, but Jesus, knowing the sinfulness of every person, changed the course of events. “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” This was a call for them to look at their own lives instead of judging hers, and one by one they left, aware of their own sinfulness, aware that each of us needs the mercy of God.

“Go, but do not sin again.” I know what that woman felt like. She experienced overwhelming gratitude for the forgiveness and mercy of God, but also a call to amend her life. A call to change her ways so that she does not sin again, she does not hurt others, and also herself. A challenge to grow in true love, the love of God. By His grace may we sin no more, and invite others to the same mercy he has shows to us.