Sunday, April 3, 2022

Sin No More


The WORD today reminds me that as God forgives us, we should do our best to sin no more. 

The gospel shows the story of the woman caught in adultery. According to the law such sin is punishable by death. Jesus did not explicitly save the woman by telling the people they should forgive, rather he made them look at themselves. He told them that the one without sin cast the first stone. Good thing people were honest, and went away, knowing that they all sin, just like the woman. 

God's forgiveness is not an excuse to keep on committing sin. 

After Jesus has forgiven the woman, he did not just send her away. He told her to sin no more. He wants the woman to change her ways. God's forgiveness should not be abused. We should not think that it is okay to sin, anyway God will always forgive us, because if this is our mindset, we are not really serious on asking God's forgiveness. 

Forgiveness should lead to repentance. 

God forgives us not so we can go back to our old ways of sin. God forgives us so we can be right with him again. So we can start anew. As God forgives us, we should repent and live right. That is the best form of thanking him. And that is the only way we will remain close to Him. 

May we be encouraged to come to God for forgiveness, and as we do, may we do our best to live right and sin no more. 

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I act like the people - quick to judge the sins of others without realizing I have a lot of sins as well. Sorry for the times I abuse your forgiveness. Lord, I humble myself and come to you to ask for forgiveness for my sins. I am sorry for hurting you. I am sorry for choosing myself, for choosing pleasure over you. Forgive me, Lord. And I ask for guidance and protection to help me love right. Help me live in a way pleasing to you. Amen. 

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflections:
http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/03/stay-clean.html 
http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2014/04/sin-no-more.html


April 03, 2022
5th Sunday of Lent; St. Richard de Wyche

FIRST READING
Isaiah 43:16–21

Thus says the LORD,
who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and quenched like a wick. Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches, for I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, the people whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my praise.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 126:1–2, 2–3, 4–5, 6 (3)

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. 

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. 

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. 

Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. 

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. 

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. 

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. 

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves. 

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.


SECOND READING
Philippians 3:8–14

Brothers and sisters:
I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.


VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Joel 2:12–13

Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.


GOSPEL
John 8:1–11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”


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