"Maestro, this woman was surprised in flagrant adultery ..." (John 8: 1-11)
Biblical reflections by Mauro Leonardi*, priest and writer
The paralytic placed in the midst of a room in front of Jesus. This woman placed in the midst of people. And in front of Jesus. A patient among many that no one notices. A woman treated as one of the many "women like these". A paralytic so loved by friends that it has fallen from a roof to heal. A woman so hated as to be dragged seminuda and tie and full of shame in front of Jesus. A look of love is placed on all these stories. The gaze of Jesus. That exceeds the law, to apply the law of love and forgiveness.
From the Gospel according to John 8: 1-11
At that time, Jesus went to Monte degli Ulivi. But at dawn he went to the temple again and all the people went to him and he, seduced, teased them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees lead him a surprise woman in adultery and, placed in the middle, they say to him: «Maestro, this woman was surprised in flagrant adultery. Now Moses, in the law, has commanded us to teach women like this. What do you say? » This said to test him and to have to accuse him. But Jesus, chinatosis, began to write with his finger on the ground. And since they insisted in questioning him, he raised his head and said to them: "Who of you is without sin, first lash the stone against her". And beat again, he wrote on the ground. But those, having heard this, left one by one, starting from the oldest up to the last. Jesus remained only with the woman there in the middle. Then he got up Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has anyone condemned you? ». And it replied: "Nobody, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neanch'io condemn you; goes and from now on, don't sin anymore ».
* Mauro Leonardi (Como 1959) has been a priest since 29 May 1988 and has been inhabited in Rome since then. He spends many hours of his day to make the priest and prefers to build bridges rather than raising walls. For years he has been writing stories, articles, essays and books that revolve around the relationship between man and God. Author of the blog Like Jesus. Abelis (Lindau) is his latest novel. The volunteers of the Gionata project thank him for sharing these reflections on the word with us.
