Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the fifth week of Lent, April 7, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Daniel 13: 1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62; Rs psalm 23: 1-3a.3b-4.5.6; John 8: 1-11WHEN STONE AND WOOD RESIST The theme for our meditation today is: When Stone andWood Resist. Jude is a naughty and wayward but smart teenager. Both parentshave been summoned by the principal and class teacher for many time regardingtheir child's behaviours. At home, Jude has been given various kinds ofpunishments, from ordinary reprimands to slaps and other physical punishments.Among all these punishments, the one Jude avoided the most was his father's beatingwith a piece of wood or throwing an object that at that time fit in his hand. Here, Jude's ingenuity serves to save himself from hisfather's punishment. He hid the wood and objects that his father always used tohit him. Jude did that, especially when he wanted to deliberately do somethingnaughty, he first hid the objects. As a result, by the time his father wasdesperate to punish him, the piece of wood was no longer in its place. Stonesand other items that were easy to find were no longer found. The father thenrelented. He felt like he was no longer strong.  He had to think again, that in the end "stone andwood or object refused" to be used in punishing his son. He must findanother way, which is certainly more effective in the science of education,when corrections and improvements are to be made. This is very much a generalallusion to the repressive or violent approach in the way we solve problems inlife. The science of education, and especially that taught by Saint John Bosco,in overcoming the problems of discipline, delinquency, chaos, is preventive. Today we meet Jesus Christ in the midst of a crowd ofpeople who were always at odds with each other, namely the Pharisees and thescribes. They were faced with a problem, namely a woman who was caughtcommitting adultery, and this was considered a very serious sin. The repressiveattitude of Jewish law demanded that this sinner be punished so strongly bystoning her to death. Jesus came with an approach to love, which is awarenessin terms of opening consciousness and self-recognition. The approach of Jesus contains the activation ofrationality, awareness, reflection, opening the eyes and heart as the firststage. Then once our awareness and self-knowledge have been formed, especiallyknowing that we are sinners and in need of renewal, God is pleased to grantforgiveness. That process is experienced by the sinful woman described in theGospel earlier. The power of love brought by the Lord Jesus is able toeliminate the use of "stones, wood or other objects" as instrumentsto create goodness, justice, and peace. We must follow that power of love.Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Jesus, may asthe holy week draws closer, we will be stronger in its preparation, that is, torenew ourselves by forgiving our neighbors who have sinned against us. HailMary full of grace... In the name of the Father ...