"Land of Beginning Again"
By Rev. Dr. Jack R. Miller
 
In our Gospel story, a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Jesus. She had to be terrified and indeed expected to die; her guilt was undeniable, and the Law of Moses dictated her fate. The Pharisees' intentions are very clear. What would Jesus, the prophet of love and kindness, say about this? What would he do? I'm sure the Pharisees thought they were being clever and had created a problematic situation for Jesus. It didn't matter whether he condemned this woman or let her go, they didn't care about the woman, nor did the crowd the Pharisees brought with them, they wanted to discredit this prophet from Galilee, expose him as a fraud, and end, once and for all, this threat to their lofty positions in the community as the authority and caretakers of the law.  
 
Instead of responding, though, Jesus knelt, put his fingers in the sand, and there was overpowering silence. Can you see it? The Pharisees pointed fingers, the crowd held stones, the woman cowered and wept softly, the disciples pondered, all while Jesus knelt and wrote in the sand, the only record of his writing anything.
 
When Jesus finally stood and spoke, the sheer power of the words stunned everyone. He raised his head and gazed at the crowd, eye to eye with each man who held a stone, eye to eye with the finger pointing Pharisees; "Let the one among you who is without sin throw the first stone" Jesus said, then went back to his writing in the sand; the silence returned. Powerful words, compassionate words that forced the woman's accusers, one by one, to shrug their shoulders, drop their stones, and walk away until only Jesus remained. Then from the silence, Jesus spoke again, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she replied. Then Jesus looked up from his writing once again. Helping the woman to her feet, he looked into her eyes and said, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."  
 
It is essential that we understand the lesson our scripture is teaching us. Jesus did not make light of or dismiss the woman's sin. He gave her a second chance, an opportunity to "go and sin no more," a hope that she could change her life. The fundamental difference between the Pharisees and Jesus is that they wished to condemn the woman, and he wanted to forgive her and offer a better way to live. Isn't that what we are all looking for?
 
There is a poem written by Louisa Fletcher that comes to mind:
 
"How I wish that there was some wonderful place
 Called the Land of Beginning Again, 
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches 
And all our poor, selfish grief 
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door, 
And never put on again."
 
The good news for all of us is that there is such a place, a land where new beginnings are found. It is located in the gospel of second chances. Jesus offered the woman in our reading this morning a gospel he also offers to you and me, and to all who have made mistakes in life. It is offered to each of us every time we receive the Eucharist. It is a chance to be renewed, reborn, and start anew. And because we are followers of Jesus Christ, we must also offer it to one another. It is the bread, the cup, and the spirit we share as a faith community.
 
Christ calls us to walk with all our brothers and sisters in this Land of Beginning Again. We are called to help restore and heal those who are lost, troubled, and disappointed, sharing God's love and compassion with them. In doing this, we become a reflection of God's Easter promise; a voice through which God speaks, hands that God can use to reach out to the lost, the lonely, and the frightened.
 
The woman in our reading this morning was given the most precious gifts: a second chance, a new life resurrected and ever changed by her encounter with Christ. That is our gift as well. Let us take it to heart and hold on tight; let us rise from the dust, go our way, and sin no more.
 
Amen? Amen!