In the whole of the New Testament, we see God, in the person of Jesus, calling his sinful people to be converted, to put the whole trust in the message he brings, and to follow his way, as the way of truth and life.
In today’s gospel, we see a lonely, frightened woman caught in the act of adultery, then manipulated by cruel self – righteous men, for their own ends. Jesus refuses to condemn her. Rather, he gives her the opportunity to repent, to change her ways. Jesus came, not to condemn, but to save – to give new and enduring life.
The utter completeness of Christ’s forgiveness is almost incredible. When he says to us, “Neither do I condemn you, the past is dead, snuffed out like a candle wick forgotten.” That is what is meant when one says that God has such a poor memory, he only sees and know the person actually in front of him, at this moment. “No need to recall the past, no need to think about what was done before,” Isaiah says in today’s first reading.
We will find happiness and peace in our lives, if on the other hand, we can really grasp the attitude of God to the sinner, and if, on the other hand, we can make that attitude our own, in our relationships with others.