主題：耶穌基督也不定我的罪
做了錯事的人，倘若他根本不知道錯在那裡，他的錯是無心之失。雖然「無知」不能作為抗辯的理由，但是這類錯誤是可原諒的錯，他要承擔的責任不大。
故事中的婦人，是在「犯姦淫時被捉住的」婦人（若8:3）。所以，我們可以排除上述一切減輕懲罰的元素了。倘若她受藥物、習俗所影響、被騙、被迫等，她是受害人。當然，以當代婦女的地位，經師和法利塞人，可能不會同情她們的受害人身份；其實，按梅瑟法律，姦夫淫婦應是一起處死的（肋20:10；申22:22，24）。故事中，經師和法利塞人卻沒有捉拿姦夫，或者他們故意放走了他，或者佈局來加害耶穌，其中的不義，不是這個事蹟的重點，暫且放下不表。總之，這個婦人沒有呼救或反抗，証明了她不是受害人。她是明知故犯，破壞了自己和別人的私有產權和家庭的幸福，在當代是死有餘辜的！
讓我們默想這故事的意義吧！
福音說，耶穌基督「彎下身去，用指頭在地上畫字」（8:6，8）。究竟祂在地上畫甚麼字，足以令現場的人，「從年老的開始到年幼的，一個一個都溜走了」（8:9）呢？耶穌基督在寫各人的罪嗎？未必！沒有兩個証人，耶穌基督的控訴無效。耶穌基督在表示祂是立法的天主，用手指寫出法律嗎？但在塵土上寫法律，始終不及寫在石頭上那麼恆久有效。我相信耶穌基督寫甚麼，是一個很有趣的問題，但問題是問錯了。耶穌基督在地上寫甚麼，恐怕要在末日纔能揭曉。眾人離開，是在耶穌基督說了：「你們中間誰沒有罪，先向她投石罷！」（8:7），而不是因為耶穌基督所畫的字！
耶穌基督沒有反對向淫婦投石，所以沒有按經師和法利塞人的預期，反對梅瑟的法律。耶穌在山中聖訓中，很清楚表示過自己的使命不是來廢除舊約，而是以慈悲來完成它（瑪5:17）。為的是給予世人豐盛的生命！所以，耶穌設下了執行死刑，執行懲罰者的資格：「誰沒有罪」！祇有沒有罪的人纔有資格執行死刑，這纔附合耶穌基督所教訓的「按公義來判斷！」
最後祇有一個人有資格執行懲罰，就是身為天主的耶穌基督！到末日祂纔施行懲罰。保祿宗徒說：「你們不可為自己復仇，但應給天主的忿怒留有餘地。」（羅12:19）就是指把復仇，懲罰，保留給天主！所以，不要天真妄想，以為到了末日，天主的慈悲會使地獄空空如也！如果天主不罰懲，又如何公義呢？但在末日之前，天主的慈悲，讓罪人有悔改的機會。在天主眼中，她的時間還沒有用完，她還有悔改的機會。所以耶穌基督對罪婦說：「我也不定妳的罪；去罷！從今以後，不要再犯罪了！」（若8:11）
各位兄弟姊妹，我們豈能濫用天主的慈悲呢？趁四旬期尚未完結，檢討有甚麼藥物或者壞習慣，促使我們繼續犯罪；趁我們的生命尚未完結，反省有甚麼事物，欺騙我們，強迫我們背棄了天主的承諾；趁我們的末日尚未來臨，悔改更新，妥當辦好告解，迎接復活節的來臨罷！
倘若明知而故犯，犯人當然要承擔責任，接受懲罰。但承擔多少責任，多少懲罰呢？懲罰與罪行，應該是相稱的，這樣纔合符公義。倫理學家提出了一些減輕責任的元素。例如，當事人受藥物、習慣或者習俗所影響；或者在被騙、被迫或者被恐嚇的情況下犯了天主十誡，他承擔的懲罰，也應酌情減輕。即是說，在正常情況下的司機，與服食感冒藥後仍要工作的職業司機，同樣危險駕駛導致他人死亡，後者應受較輕的懲罰。一個白人優越主義者，持槍往清真寺掃射；與一個被迫行刺總統的狙擊手，後者同樣情有可原！
首先，看看這個故事的上文下理。耶穌基督在帳棚節，暗中來到耶路撒冷，上聖殿施教。耶穌基督教訓群眾，「不要按照外表判斷，但要按照公義判斷。」（若7:24）並且在慶節的最一天，向群眾說信仰他的人要得到聖神，得到生命（7:39）。就在這背景下，經師和法利塞人把這犯姦淫的婦人，帶到耶穌基督跟前，挑戰祂慈悲的教導。倘若耶穌基督反對處死這個婦人，便是反對梅瑟法律。沒有猶太人能承擔這嚴重的後果。
誰人能在天主面前無可指摘呢？沒有人。但這個死有餘辜的罪婦，值得救她嗎？既然眾人都坐在同一條船，同樣受著罪惡的奴役。與其互相廝殺，倒不如互相寬恕，彼此相愛，共渡難關，不是更好嗎？
天主保祐！
Fifth Lenten Sunday, Year C
Theme: Jesus Christ Does Not Condemn Me
If somebody makes a mistake and not knowing why, his mistake is not serious. Although ignorance cannot be an excuse, the fault is forgiveable and the responsibility is light.
If somebody commits a crime deliberately, he should be held responsible and be punished. But how much should he be held responsible and punished? Punishment should be proportionate to the crime in order to be fair. Ethicists propose some mitigating factors. For example, if the person is under the influence of drugs, habits or customs; or he was cheated, threatened or under duress to breach the Ten Commandments, lighter punishments should be meted out. That is to say, a driver under normal circumstances and a public transport driver who has to work after taking flu medication, knocks down and kills a pedestrian, the latter should receive lighter punishment. A white supremacist guns down worshippers in a Mosque and a sniper assasinates the president under duress, the latter is forgiveable!
In the story, the woman "was caught in adultery" (John 8:3). So, we can eliminate all the mitigating factors mentioned above. If she was under the influence of drugs or customs; was cheated or under duress etc., she would be a victim. Of course, considering the social status of women at that time, the Scribes and Pharisees would not be sympathetic to her role as a victim. Indeed, according to the Mosaic Law, "both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death." (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22, 24).
Let us meditate the meaning of this story!
The gospel says, Jesus Christ "bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger" (8:6, 8). What was Jesus writing on the ground so that "they went away one by one, beginning with the elders." (8:9)? Was Jesus Christ writing the sins of each one? Not really! Without two witnesses, Jesus Christ' accusations would not stand. Did Jesus Christ want to show them that He was the God who legislates, writing the laws with his fingers? But writing on the dust of the ground would be less permanent than writing on the stone. I believe what Jesus Christ wrote must be a very interesting question. But the question was put forth in a wrong way. What Jesus Christ wrote would only be revealed at the end of the world. People left one by one after Jesus says, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (8:7), not because of what Jesus Christ wrote on the ground!
Jesus Christ did not object to throwing a stone at the adultress. He did not object to the Mosaic Law, thus failing to meet the expectation of the Scribes and Pharisees. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it clear that his mission is Not to abolish the Old Covenant but to fulfil it with mercy (Matthew 5:17), in order to give humanity an abundant life! Thus, Jesus lay down the qualification to be executioners: "the one who is without sin". Only such a person is qualified to execute punishment. This satisfies Jesus Christ's teaching to judge justly!
At last, only one person is qualify to mete out punishment. He is Jesus Christ our God! At the end of the world, he shalt punish. St. Paul says, "Do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath of God." (Romans 12:19) Thus, we should leave vengeance and punishment to God! Thus, don't be so naive as to think that at the end of the world, the mercy of God shall empty the Hell! If God does not punish, how can He be righteous? But before the end, God's mercy give sinners opportunities to repent. In God's eyes, the adultress has not used up her time. She still has opportunities to repent. Thus Jesus Christ says to her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more." (John 8:11)
Brethren! How can we abuse God's mercy? While the Lenten season is not yet over, reflect on what drugs or bad habits keep us sinning. While our life is not yet finished, think about what things are cheating us, forcing us not to honour our vows to God. While our end has not yet come, repent, turn a new leaf and make a good confession to embrace the upcoming Easter!
In the story, the Scribes and the Pharisees let off the adulterer, perhaps releasing him deliberately, or laying a trap for Jesus. This was injustice but it is not our concern today. Anyway, the woman did not cry help or resist, showing that she was not a victim. She committed a sin deliberately, damaging the property rights and family lives of hers and the others. She deserved to die during that era!
Firstly, we must read the story in context. During the feast of Tabernacle, Jesus Christ went up to Jerusalem in secret and started preaching in the Temple. He taught the crowd to "stop judging by appearances, but judge justly." (John 7:24) On the last day of the feast, he told the crowd that those who came to believe in him were to receive the Holy Spirit and had life (7:39). In this background, the Scribes and Pharisees brought this adultress before Jesus Christ to challenge his teaching of mercy. If Jesus objected to stoning this woman, He opposed the Mosaic Law. No Jew was able to shoulder the serious consequences of such a stance.
Who is blameless before God? Nobody. But does this adultress deserve salvation? Since all of us are sailing in the same boat, are suffering from the bondage of sins. So, instead of eating each other, would it not be better to forgive each other, to love each other and to go through difficulties together?
God bless!
Bene est!
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