The Fifth Sunday in Lent - Passiontide begins

​Dear friends,

This morning we have, in our Gospel, the story of the woman caught in adultery.  The religious leaders have presented her to Christ, asking what should be done.  The law demands that she be stoned to death.  His response was forgiveness:

 He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any more.’

It's appropriate that we enter into Passiontide today with a story about forgiveness.  The coming two weeks are the story of how that forgiveness was secured: the Blood of our Saviour.   As S Thomas Aquinas put it so simply:  "This Blood, that but one drop of, has the power to win all the world forgiveness of its world of sin."

This is one those works of Donne that grasps the depth of our sin, and the heights of Divine Mercy.   This wouldn't be a bad prayer to use daily leading up to the Paschal solemnities.  Let it root itself in your heart and mind.

A Hymn to God the Father
By John Donne

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun, 
         Which was my sin, though it were done before? 
Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run, 
         And do run still, though still I do deplore? 
                When thou hast done, thou hast not done, 
                        For I have more. 

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won 
         Others to sin, and made my sin their door? 
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun 
         A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score? 
                When thou hast done, thou hast not done, 
                        For I have more. 

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun 
         My last thread, I shall perish on the shore; 
But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son 
         Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore; 
                And, having done that, thou hast done; 
                        I fear no more.