It is always a joy to see a full church. There is something profoundly uplifting about gathering together in shared worship. And when we gather in sincerity, we might say the angels come with us too – filling not just the seats, but the atmosphere itself.
Tonight’s reading reminds us of something both simple and challenging: Jesus does not judge us — but He does expect us to judge ourselves.
Spiritually speaking, we cannot truly judge or condemn others because we never know the full story. We rarely see the whole picture. We do not know the private struggles, the hidden griefs, or the unseen pressures that shape another person’s actions. And so, when we judge, we often judge blindly.
For this reflection, I have chosen a passage from the Gospel of Saint John. Throughout John’s Gospel we see two distinct lines of thought. Jesus consistently speaks from a spiritual perspective, while those around Him often respond from an earthly one. They listen with human reasoning; He speaks with divine understanding.
John’s Gospel tells of the life of Jesus Christ on Earth. Again and again, we see people attempting to trap Him – to discredit Him, to catch Him in contradiction, to bring accusations against Him. And yet, they always fail. Why? Because truth cannot be trapped by manipulation.
As with all scripture, this passage carries layers of meaning. Ultimately, it always returns us to one central theme: understanding God’s way of living. Not merely obeying rules – but living through love.
This particular account beautifully demonstrates Jesus’ gentle and compassionate spirit. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees bring before Him a woman caught in adultery. They demand the maximum judgement under the Law of Moses – stoning.
In modern terms, we might describe such laws as social codes designed to control behaviour and maintain order. But God’s law is greater than any human system. It is rooted not in punishment, but in love.
As the story unfolds, Jesus refuses to judge the woman. Nor does He grant her accusers the authority they seek. We are reminded throughout scripture that we should not judge — because we do not know all the circumstances.
Jesus does something far more powerful.
He neither condemns the accused nor attacks the accusers. Instead, He sets in motion something spiritual. He awakens conscience.
God has planted within each soul a moral awareness. When stirred, it reveals our own errors to us. In spiritual understanding, this may be described as the working of karma — the law of cause and effect. The soul becomes its own accuser. We know, deep down, when we have acted wrongly. No external punishment is as penetrating as an awakened conscience.
Jesus understood that the woman had sinned. But He also understood remorse. True remorse can be so deep, so piercing, that the soul requires not further judgement, but healing.
And so we turn to John, chapter 8:
At dawn, Jesus appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him. He sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus:
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law of Moses, we are commanded to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
They were using this question as a trap, seeking a basis to accuse Him.
But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
When they continued questioning Him, He straightened up and said:
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Then He stooped down and wrote again.
One by one, those who heard began to walk away — the older ones first — until only Jesus remained, with the woman still standing there.
He straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she replied.
“Then neither do I condemn you.”
And in many translations, He adds: “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This is not leniency. It is transformation.
Jesus does not deny wrongdoing. He does not dismiss truth. But He elevates the conversation from punishment to awakening. The accusers are forced to confront themselves. The woman is invited to change her life — not out of fear, but out of love.
The spiritual lesson is profound. We are rarely in a position to judge others. But we are always in a position to examine ourselves.
When conscience awakens, the soul grows. And growth, not condemnation, is the true purpose of divine love.
It is easy to throw stones. It is far harder to lay them down.
And that is where real spiritual maturity begins.
A transcription of Peter’s Bible reading in Church on 22nd February 2026. Featured image generated by AI, ChatGPT.
