God's Actions Now

04-07-2019Weekly Reflection

When Jews celebrate the Passover, they always tell the story of the Exodus in present terms, as if they themselves experienced those events: when we were prisoners in Egypt; when God brought us out of slavery and through the waters of the sea. We would do well to follow their example and see the works of Jesus and his sacrifice as being in the present, as happening to us now. We believe that Christ's work, his teachings, and his sacrifice on the cross were not just for his followers in the past, but for all people at all times. When we think of this in our prayers, we become one in faith with that great cloud of witnesses, the saints.

We have been striving through Lent to repent of our sins and failings, and to follow Jesus more closely. Today in the story of the woman caught in adultery, we see Jesus forgiving the woman, saving her from a horrible death, and urging her not to sin any more. This is new, and brings out something for which the law had not allowed—forgiveness. Of course one can sin no more if one is dead, caught in one's sins forever. But Jesus introduces the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation .

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