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I still remember vividly the profound impact of meeting Bishop Kenneth Untener at New Ways Ministry’s Third National Symposium on LGBTQ+ issues and Catholicism back in March 1992. As the Bishop of Saginaw, Michigan, he spoke with such clarity and conviction about the gospel passage of the adulterous woman, which is today’s liturgical reading. He described what he called Jesus’ “reckless sense of mercy.” “Jesus was never overly careful about metering out his mercy,” Bishop Untener said. “He was criticized for his ‘reckless’ mercy toward undeserving sinners.” These words resonated deeply with me, especially as I journeyed toward publicly embracing my authentic self as a gay priest in the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Untener stressed the theme of inclusion, but also offered what I believe is the essence of God’s judgment: “Since I am a theologian, I don’t say this lightly, but I have come to truly believe that when we die the only thing that will matter in the end will be how we have treated one another.” How simple yet profound. How challenging yet liberating. The story of the adulterous woman reveals Jesus’s incredible compassion, love, acceptance, and mercy for all people. Interestingly, as Bishop Untener highlighted, this story is missing from some old manuscripts of the Gospel of John. Could it be that some early Christians had a problem with Jesus’ reckless mercy? Were they so scandalized by it that they actually skipped this passage in their manuscripts because they couldn’t believe God’s mercy could be so abundant? The scene depicts the Pharisees’ sense of dominance in three clear actions: “They caught her.” “They brought her.” “They made her stand before them all.” They publicly shamed her in the Temple precincts, bristling with righteous indignation as they demanded Jesus’ opinion. In their eyes, her fate was sealed: death by stoning, according to the law. Yet no one mentions the adulterous man involved. As typically happens in a sexist society, the woman is condemned while the man walks free. The crowd, roused by scribes and Pharisees, would have shown no sympathy for this woman but reacted with righteous indignation at her failing. They judged her and wrote her off as less than. Where was the man with whom she committed adultery? Perhaps he was a Pharisee or a scribe, maybe a merchant or a laborer, perhaps even from the priestly class. We’ll never know. But we can put ourselves in the place of that un-accused adulterer: slinking away, unnoticed, unaccused, not judged as worthy of death-dealing stones.  Jesus stands against such arrogance and self-righteousness. He sees through their plotting and makes them withdraw in confusion with his challenge: “Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone at her.” No sentence of death comes from God. With admirable audacity, Jesus brings truth, justice, and compassion to bear on their judgment.
“One by one,” they begin to leave until Jesus and the woman are alone. St. Augustine beautifully described this moment with a Latin phrase: “And two were left: misera et misericordia—the one filled with misery, and the one filled with mercy.” The frightened woman stands before Jesus, who asks, “Has no one condemned you?” When she answers no, he responds with those essential words we all need to hear today: “Neither do I condemn you.” These are truly liberating words—freeing her not only from the harshness of her accusers but also from her own feelings of shame, guilt, self-loathing, and despair. People sometimes wonder how Jesus could say this, thinking that the opposite of “condemn” is “condone.” But the word “condemn” comes from the Latin word meaning “to damn”—to hold someone as worthless, useless, cursed. The opposite isn’t “condone” but “save”—to help, to heal, to hold valuable. The opposite of condemnation is salvation—deliverance from evil and ruin. Jesus and the authorities both agreed that what the woman did was wrong, that it was sinful. The difference? The Pharisees condemned her; Jesus didn’t. Instead, he showed mercy and set her on a path toward restoration. It’s one thing to condemn a person’s conduct, another to condemn the person. Jesus never condemned any person—and we are never allowed to condemn anyone either. Never. We can condemn actions, but never the person. As an openly gay priest, I have experienced firsthand the rejection, condemnation, and hatred toward our community. I know what it means to feel beyond God’s mercy, to believe you’ve done something so wrong that God couldn’t possibly forgive you. So many LGBTQ+ individuals carry this heavy burden—continually punishing themselves, unable to believe they are worthy of love. But the Prophet Isaiah reminds us in today’s first reading: “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” God is indeed doing something new. The Lord treats us just as he treated that woman—never condemning us. Despite our worst moments, God never stops loving us. This is truth. This is fact. Every day, in every country worldwide, LGBTQ+ individuals face discrimination, violence, and unequal treatment at home, at work, and in their communities. Currently, we witness laws attacking our community, especially transgender individuals. Yet in the face of such condemnation, we must remember Jesus’s reckless mercy. This Lenten season, I invite you to immerse yourself in this story: to see the urgency of the One Who searches, Who waits, Who is eager to find us and save us. God is continuously doing something new in our lives, inviting us into authenticity and wholeness. Touch that vulnerable, wounded part of your heart. Uncover whatever burden has weighed you down. Listen closely to Jesus saying to you: “Has no one condemned you? Neither do I.” Our Christian life is about meeting Jesus daily and knowing that His love is ever new. We are possessed by Him, and He does not condemn us but invites us to live anew in His love. Ash Wednesday challenged us to turn away from our sins and believe in the Gospel. This story of the adulterous woman reminds us that at our very foundation, we are forgiven by God. Jesus wants people to know God’s mercy, for it is this mercy that allows us to change. As ministers and members of God’s people, we must reflect the same reckless mercy that Jesus demonstrated in his life. While witnessing division and hatred in our world, we cannot be silent. We will not be condemned by others’ hatred. We cannot be pushed back into closets of shame and self-loathing. We will live and journey in the incredible, reckless mercy of our Savior who loves us to our core and renews our lives by respecting the dignity of each human person. Let us accept and love ourselves as the people God created us to be: fully alive, fully loved, and recklessly embraced by divine mercy. --Father Gregory Greiten, April 6, 2025 Today’s reflection post is from Fr. Gregory Greiten, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Currently, he serves as the Administator of St. Bernadette Parish, Our Lady of Good Hope Parish, and St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, all in Milwaukee. Fr. Greg came out as gay to his parishioners in an Advent 2017 homily. You can read accounts of that experience here and here. Today’s liturgical readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent can be found by clicking here. Comments are closed.
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