Last Sunday’s Gospel brings to light a powerful and painful issue one that continues to echo through time, gender bias, as depicted in the scriptures ( John 8:3-11).
We hear the story of a woman caught in adultery, brought before Jesus by a group of men, while the man involved is nowhere to be found. The community takes no action against him. Instead, all the blame, all the shame, all the punishment, is placed on her.
This moment in the Gospel paints a vivid picture of discrimination. In their condemnation of her, there is no mention of other women, only men. The imbalance is clear.
This woman, already guilty of breaking marital trust, is left exposed, vulnerable, and alone.
She becomes a symbol for all those who have been marginalized, especially women in ancient societies who were often the first to be blamed, cast aside, or publicly shamed for either living their truth or speaking their minds.
And society, then and now, often responds to those it deems ‘impure’ by isolating them, punishing them, or erasing them entirely to maintain a false sense of purity or order.
This woman stands for so many others: the outsider, the immigrant, the forgotten. She is dragged before the crowd, not only for judgment but also to serve as bait in a trap set for Jesus.
Denis McBride, a thoughtful commentator, invites us to go deeper. He asks us to place ourselves in the woman’s shoes. Can we remember the faces of our accusers? The ones who were ready to cast stones?
But the deeper challenge of the Gospel is not just to empathize with her, it is to ask ourselves another question:
Can we also see ourselves as the one who forgives?
Can we be like Jesus?
Are we able to set down the stone? Are we able to see past shame and sin, and instead offer mercy?
Can we forgive, not just when it’s easy, but when it’s the hardest?
Because in the end, this story is not just about condemnation. It’s about the radical, disarming power of grace.
May we be courageous enough to live it.
Thank you.
✍️ Amara Ann Unachukwu
