From the Friars: Understanding God’s Law
When children are young parents have to put many restrictions on them so that they don’t hurt themselves. They put protectors on the electric outlets, safety latches on the sharp knife drawer and other such things because the little ones do not yet understand the real dangers in the new world they are so curious to explore. And great fear is put into them with threats of severe consequences for disobeying prohibitions, such as not playing in the street. Finally, if necessary, parents will punish their children when they disobey so that they will learn by painful experience. All of this domestic legislation and justice is rooted in the fact that the mother and father love their children very much and do not want anything bad to happen to them. They want them to live a long and happy life. Of course, as they get older, things can loosen up and laws can change due to new dangers.
So it is with the laws of God. Like spiritual children, the early Israelites had to learn many basic things, and because of their stubborn disobedience Moses had to make many laws that were not originally part of God’s plan. They were still too immature and weak to have the freedom of the sons of God. Only with the coming of the Redemption of Christ would the law come to its fulfillment, allowing provisional and temporary precepts to fall away as no longer necessary.
The adulterous woman, by Pieter Brueghel the Elder – Web Gallery of Art: Image Info about artwork, Public Domain, Link
In the Gospel today the Pharisees once again set a trap for Jesus, and once again He is two steps ahead of them. If He says that the woman caught in adultery should be stoned, as Moses commanded, they can turn Him in to the Romans for violating their law of reserving capital punishment to themselves. If Our Lord consents to let her go, He would be guilty of contradicting Moses, the great law-giver. Jesus Christ is the Divine Lawgiver. With His coming, harsh punishment for adultery was no longer necessary. Likewise, the self-righteousness of the Pharisees was an even worse offense against God. They are made to see their hypocrisy and walk away in shame. Yet Our Lord also tells the woman to go and sin no more. He is just and adultery can never be condoned. It is evil in itself. What is essential cannot change, what is not essential can.
May Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, help us to discern the difference and to live God’s Law with zeal and fidelity, especially the great commandments to love Him with our whole heart and each other as Jesus loves us.
God bless you.
— Fr. Peter