Jesus shows us that we should not judge each other, but believe in our ability to recover and move on.

Márcio Mendes, on the program ‘ Sorrindo Pra Vida’ [Smiling at Life], meditating on the Christmas and the hope of a fresh start.

The words we meditate on are in: John 8, 3-11

“ And the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery;
And, putting her in their midst, they said to him, master, this woman was caught in the very act, adultery
And in the law Moses commanded us that such should be stoned. You, what do you say?
This they said, trying, to get him to make that charge. But Jesus, leaning, wrote with his finger on the ground.
And, as they insisted asking him, he straightened up, and said unto them, he that is without sin among you be the first cast stone against it.
And, leaning over, wrote in the Earth.
When they heard this, they were stung in their conscience, left one by one, starting with the elders; It was only Jesus and the woman who were left.
And, straightening up Jesus and not seeing anyone more than the woman, said to her: Woman, where are those accusers of yours? No one condemned you?
And she said: Nobody, Sir. And Jesus said to her: neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more. “

The excerpt that we share today is so rich that if the Bible was just this snippet, it would be enough to find salvation. However, beyond it, the word of God cries out in every possible way that Jesus came to save us, to give us forgiveness.

Nowadays, a lot of people look within religions for one way to punish and judge each other, how many people wore their own faith as an instrument of discrimination and judgement with the other? However, who are we to say who is and who is not of God? Even Jesus himself said that thieves and prostitutes will be first Heaven than many religious.

Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but also to celebrate Heaven, because we receive Jesus, the Savior. In many moments of our life, we put ourselves at the feet of Jesus, especially when we are empty and so we asked for help. However, at other times we are dragged to the feet of Jesus, dragged through the tribulation, diseases, we’re dragged even under heavy accusations and threats of death, but there, in the presence of the Lord we will always find forgiveness and peace, for the precious gift of Christmas is peace and Christ is our peace.

When this woman is dragged at the feet of Jesus, she finds peace, peace in itself, because Jesus looks at her and says no to condemns, asks her to that don’t come to sin and lets move on, alone.

We must understand that God did not send his beloved son to solve problems, or to make us break away from sin. Jesus is sent in a special way to bring life to give you right now a new life, because Christmas isn’t just about the birth, because Jesus was born, was crucified and resurrected. Christmas is not a birthday, but a new life that happens to all of us, it is at this moment that Jesus brings us another chance, as he brought to this woman.

However, there is only one thing that prevents us from finding salvation, this new life, and that is the lack of forgiveness. Jesus teaches us that we should not judge lest be judged as it is not our role to judge our neighbor, but ourselves. What really should get is the forgiveness, because when we have forgiveness and mercy, we also receive from God, forgiveness and mercy.

Those men, who bring this woman to Jesus, were not interested in upholding the law of Moses, but they also want to put Jesus in a complicated situation. Upon questioning, they put to Jesus two options, allow the woman to be stoned, enforcing the law and thus going against the message of peace and life he had been preaching to people, or prevent the stoning and go against the law of Moses. But he gives men the best response in this tough situation, Jesus responds with silence, as there are questions that don’t deserve an answer, because the motive of those men was not to find a solution but rather cause more disagreement, so silence is the best answer.

When we are convinced that we made a mistake, we should go to the person whom we hurt and ask forgiveness, is something fair, review the entire situation and learn from the mistake, learn also that we should never act with violence and if someday they come with violence to you, take care of peace and tranquility, because violence is the lack of faith and reason.

Jesus did not accuse that woman when placed before him, he just believed her, but because of something she said, he believed a new life for her. He believes in you even when you don’t believe it, even when you are being unfaithful, you give us all the lost dignity, of what has been lost even when we feel the worst of creatures.

Christmas is time to start over, it’s time to wake up and take control of our life and make it a new life, because for Jesus no one is a lost cause, and know if you feel guilty or lost, it is to you that Jesus came and he is present.

Márcio Mendes
Canção Nova Community mission

Portuguese Transcription and adaptation: Lucas Mendes

Portuguese version