We come once again to the season of Lent, remembering the 40 days and nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness, wrestling with his internal demons before beginning his public ministry. He fasted during this time so traditionally Lent has become a time for Christians to fast or give up certain foods. This is a spiritual discipline but not for everyone.

Isaiah says that fasting can be hypocrisy. It is no good fasting if we are not sharing our food with the hungry, providing shelter to the homeless, clothing the naked or turning away from those around us who need us. The Pharisees who were the part of the Sanhedrin, the court of the time, were very concerned with obeying the numerous Jewish laws but lacked compassion, mercy and love. They resented Jesus as they saw him as a threat to their power as he taught and showed love, mercy and forgiveness.

In our Gospel Reading the Sanhedrin bring a woman to Jesus at dawn who has been caught in the act of adultery (they have not brought the man!) They were trying to test Jesus, who taught love, mercy and forgiveness. How would he respond to the law that required she be stoned to death? During their exchange Jesus bends down and writes in the sand twice. What does he write? Various theories have been put forward, here are three of them:

Jesus wrote the names of the Pharisees, as it says in Jeremiah: 17: ‘Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.’

Jesus mirrored Moses who spent 40 days on Mount Sinai before receiving the 10 Commandments written on tablets by the finger of God (Exodus 31). Jesus came to fulfil the law by bringing new commandments to love God who loves us and to love one another. A new covenant.

Jesus wrote the word ‘forgiveness’.

Jesus asked anyone without sin to throw the first stone and one by one the members of the Sanhedrin walked away. Jesus did not condemn the woman. He would have had great compassion as he knew her heart and her story. However, he did not condone her actions but told her to go and not sin again. She was forgiven and could start afresh.

What word could we write in the sand? Can we commit to reflecting, studying and putting into action just one word this Lent? If able, we could go and write it on the beach and symbolically commit it to the sea to take it into the world.

Angela Stewart (lay minister)