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What happens when mercy meets judgment? The Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery offers a masterclass in Christ's approach to sin and sinners. When the Pharisees brought a woman before Jesus, demanding her stoning according to Mosaic Law, they thought they had created the perfect trap. Instead, Jesus turned their judgment back on them with his famous words: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone."

This powerful Lenten reflection explores how Jesus models the perfect balance between acknowledging sin's gravity while showing compassion toward sinners. Contrary to popular perception, Jesus wasn't treating sin lightly when He refused to condemn the adulterous woman. Rather, He hated sin so profoundly that He became incarnate specifically to take it upon Himself. His mercy toward the sinner exists alongside His uncompromising stance against sin itself—a nuanced position we struggle to maintain today.

Perhaps surprisingly, our modern challenge isn't that we judge too much, but that we've abandoned proper judgment altogether. We're called to distinguish between judging actions (which we should do) and condemning persons (which we shouldn't). This principle applies especially to Church leaders, whom we can hold accountable without assuming malicious intentions. As Thomas à Kempis wisely notes, "In judging others, we expend energy to no purpose... but if we judge ourselves, our labor is always to our profit." The most effective way to change the Church isn't through bitter criticism of others but through personal transformation. Join us for this challenging Lenten meditation that calls us to examine our hearts and extend to others the same mercy we so readily seek for ourselves.

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