Second Wednesday of Advent

Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early
in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and
he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought
a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of
them, they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of
committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women.
Now what do you say?' They said this to test him, so that they might have
some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger
on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and
said to them, 'Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw
a stone at her.' And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When
they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and
Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened
up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She
said, 'No one, sir.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you. Go your
way, and from now on do not sin again.' (John 7:53-8:11)
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sandman

we would
continue to build
our fortifications
(stronger, bigger,
sturdier, taller)
to protect us from all
who threaten
our way of life . . .
. . . but you would
pull us down beside
you
to teach us the
art of making
sand castles in the kingdom;

we would
take out our chisels
to carve
all our rules into
stainless steel
so everyone might know
where we stand . . .
. . . while you sit on your
haunches, tracing
in the sand, 'greater love
has no one. . .'

we would
grumble and argue
with you for ages
without end about
how many times we need
to forgive . . .
. . . and you hand us
a bucket and tweezers,
challenging us to
count the grains
on the beach
so we might discover
that grace is simply

endless.

© 2012 Thom M. Shuman

'Bearers of Grace and Justice', liturgies with communion   for Lectionary Year C; 'Pirate Jesus', prayers and poems   for Lectionary Year C, are available at Amazon.