Joy in Mercy

I did a meditation years ago on the episode of Jesus confronting the crowd with the woman caught committing adultery in John 8:1-11.  I have still not forgotten what happened at the end of that meditation.  I was filled with a joy that I had never felt before.

When one considers the feelings of the woman, perhaps we can begin to realise the joy she felt when Jesus uttered the words, “neither do I condemn you.”  After all, she was probably terrified when she was dragged out of the place where she was caught.  Where was her partner in crime?  Either he had run off, leaving her alone, or he was let off as she was hauled away.  For the former, she must have been extremely disappointed.  He cared only for himself and not for her.  For the latter, she must have been feeling confused.  She could not understand why her captors, who were from the law-abiding sector of Jewish society would take only her.  Then, to her horror, she was dragged into the temple where everyone was.  Her sin would be made public.  Further terror awaited her as she saw that they were leading her to Jesus, this great teacher, whom some people call a prophet.  She was not innocent, she knew.  How could this person not convict her of her sin?

Yet, it was this teacher that would forgive her and give her inner joy.   The teacher had asked that the first person to throw a stone was one who had no sin.  The usually self-righteous Pharisees and scribes moved away one by one.  Then he had looked up and saw no one.  He asked if no one had condemned her.  He took the decision of the majority: He would not condemn her as well.  However, he did acknowledge that she had sinned.  He said, “…and do not sin again.”  A few simple words but powerful ones because he acknowledged that she was not innocent.  She was forgiven, not exonerated.

The feeling that I identified with at the end of that meditation was joy.  I understood it to be joy but not a joy due to relief.  It was a joy that came when one was valued as a human being.  One was not rendered worthless by sin but that by mercy, one’s life had value in a dignity restored.