Dear brothers and sisters, Are you a loving person? Then you don't  condemn.  Fr. Cielo

1. Welcome to our Bible StudyWelcome to our Bible Study
5th
Sunday of Lent C
14 March 2016
In preparation for this Sunday’s liturgy
In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing
Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

2. 1st
Reading: Isaiah 43,16-21
• 16 Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea
and a path in the mighty waters, 17 who leads out
chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie
prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and
quenched like a wick. 18 Remember not the events of
the past, the things of long ago consider not; 19 See, I
am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you
not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the
wasteland, rivers. 20 Wild beasts honor me, jackals and
ostriches, For I put water in the desert and rivers in the
wasteland for my chosen people to drink, 21 The people
whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my
praise.

3. 1st
Reading: Isaiah 43,16-21
• 16 Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea
and a path in the mighty waters, 17 who leads out
chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie
prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and
quenched like a wick. 18 Remember not the events of
the past, the things of long ago consider not; 19 See, I
am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you
not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the
wasteland, rivers. 20 Wild beasts honor me, jackals and
ostriches, For I put water in the desert and rivers in the
wasteland for my chosen people to drink, 21 The people
whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my
praise.
The focus is on something new!

4. 1st
Reading: Isaiah 43,16-21
• a way opened in the sea and a path in
the mighty waters, v.16
• chariots and horsemen, a powerful
army lie prostrate together, never to
rise, snuffed out and quenched like a
wick. V.17
• V.18 Remember not the events of
the past, the things of long ago
consider not;
• 19 a way in the desert, in the
wasteland, rivers.
• 20 Wild beasts honor me, jackals and
ostriches,
• For I put water in the desert and rivers
in the wasteland for my chosen people
to drink,
• 21 The people whom I formed for
myself, that they might announce my
praise.
•16 Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty
waters, 17 who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie
prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and quenched like a wick. 18
Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; 19 See, I
am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I
make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. 20 Wild beasts honor me, jackals and
ostriches, For I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen
people to drink, 21 The people whom I formed for myself, that they might announce
my praise.

5. Textual Context of Is 43,16-21
• First Isaiah - 1-39
• Second Isaiah - 40-55
• Third Isaiah - 56-66

6. Isaiah 43,16-21

7. 1st
Reading: Isaiah
43,16-21
•16 Thus says the LORD, who
opens a way in the sea and a
path in the mighty waters, 17
who leads out chariots and
horsemen, a powerful army, till
they lie prostrate together, never
to rise, snuffed out and quenched
like a wick. 18 Remember not
the events of the past, the things
of long ago consider not; 19
See, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not
perceive it? In the desert I make
a way, in the wasteland, rivers.
20 Wild beasts honor me, jackals
and ostriches, For I put water in
the desert and rivers in the
wasteland for my chosen people
to drink, 21 The people whom I
formed for myself, that they might
announce my praise.
Vv.16-17 talk about the great deeds of the Lord
from of old (the exodus event).
The divided sea was a safe passage for the
Israelites, but unsafe for the Egyptians
(Pharaoh’s chariots, horsemen, army, all lie dead)
In parallel form, v.18 exhorts the Israelites not to
get stuck with the past and the old.
The text is addressed to the Israelites in exile in
Babylon, soon to return to the Promised Land.
They are asked to look forward to something
new. With God, there is always something new.
What is something new?
Way, path in the desert (easy to find one’s way)
Rivers in the wastelands (desert), Water in the
desert (that’s why wild beasts, jackals, ostriches
will honor me). // Water in the desert, rivers in
the wasteland (that the Israelites might
announce praise!) (Note the parallelism.)

8. Commentary, con’t
• This text from second-Isaiah (40-55) addresses the
Israelites who have lived long in exile.
• Apparently, the Exiles, due to their prolonged stay there,
religious and cultural deprivations, sufferings, etc., are
imagining all kinds of things; they “busy” themselves
remembering the wonderful deeds of God during the
Exodus’ time.
• In this context, God announces his new plan for Israel.
• He is bringing them back to the Promised Land.
• The Israelites must look forward to their return there.
• God is preparing the way and the provisions (water,
river).
• It will be another exodus. It will be another experience of
liberation and God’s loving care for his people.

9. Reflections on the 1st
reading
• When we are in the middle of a crisis (bankruptcy,
sickness, rejection, etc.), when we can’t face the present, we
look back to the good ol’ days (when we were blessed with
material things, health, many friends, etc.).
• There is nothing wrong with remembering and reliving
the past. In fact, it is healthy.
• However, the text has an important message for us: to
look forward to something new, to hope.
• Hope allows us to widen our horizons, broaden our
visions, extends our time span, etc.
• To keep faith alive in the midst of turmoil, the future also
plays an important role.
• Keep your sanity by stretching your mind (it must live in the
past, present and future). Pray!

10. Resp. Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
(3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
1 When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
2a Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
2b Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
5 Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
6 Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.

11. Resp. Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
(3) The Lord has done great
things for us; we are filled with
joy.
1 When the LORD brought back
the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
2a Then our mouth was filled
with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
2b Then they said among the
nations,
“The LORD has done great
things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great
things for us; we are glad
indeed.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern
desert.
5 Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
6 Although they go forth
weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
Commentary
• The psalm was composed after the Exile.
• The psalm articulates the feelings of the
Israelites who had just come from Exile in
Babylon.
• It picks up the feelings of the first reading.
• In v.1, the psalmist attributes the freedom of
the captives to the Lord.
• It is like a dream. (unbelievable, unexpected)
• In v.2a, they spontaneously burst into
laughter and rejoicing (in parallel form).
• In vv.2b-3, they acknowledge the great deeds
of God (bringing back the Exiles to Jerusalem).
• V.4 is a prayer of restoration.
• V.5 is a saying on sowing and reaping.
• V.6 explains the meaning of v.5.
• It recalls the Exile when the Judeans were
forcibly brought to Babylon. They were crying.
• Now they are rejoicing carrying the sheaves
as they return.

12. Reflections on the Psalm
• We may be “exiled” (driven away, rejected, forcibly evicted)
from our comfort zones, for one reason or
another.
• The psalm makes us hope that one day we will
be restored.
• God can also make miracles for us as what he
had done in the past.
• If truly we have sown the seeds in tears, we too
will reap with joy.

13. 2nd
reading: Philippians 3,8-14
• 8 I even consider everything as a loss because of the
supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his
sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider
them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be
found in him, not having any righteousness of my own
based on the law but that which comes through faith in
Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith 10
to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the)
sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death,
11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have
already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit
in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been
taken possession of by Christ (Jesus). 13 Brothers, I for
my part do not consider myself to have taken possession.
Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining
forward to what lies ahead, 14 I continue my pursuit
toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in
Christ Jesus. The focus is on possessing/being possessed by Christ.

14. Textual Context of Phil 3,8-14
Outline by Peter Ellis
A (1:1-3:1): Spreading the gospel and growth in Christ
B (3:2-16): Apparent digression: Growth in Christ depends on
faith in Christ and not on observance of the law
A' (3:17-4:23): Spreading the gospel and growth in Christ

15. 2nd
reading: Philippians 3,8-14
• 8 I even consider everything
as a loss because of the
supreme good of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For
his sake I have accepted
the loss of all things and I
consider them so much
rubbish, that I may gain
Christ 9 and be found in
him, not having any
righteousness of my own
based on the law but that
which comes through faith
in Christ, the righteousness
from God, depending on
faith 10 to know him and
the power of his
resurrection and (the)
sharing of his sufferings by
being conformed to his
death, 11 if somehow I may
attain the resurrection from
the dead.
Background: Paul is sharing his newfound
treasure. Before his conversion, he was
persecuting the Christians. He
thought he was doing the right thing.
Commentary
When he comes to know Christ, Paul’s value
system is overturned. What he thought was
valuable before, Paul now considers as a
loss. V.8a
Paul now considers them as rubbish. He has
a new plan of life: (v.8b)
-to gain Christ and to be found in him.
V.9
The process of finding Christ is not through
the law (of Moses), but through faith in
Christ and God’s righteousness. V.9.
In v.10, Paul specifies faith as a force
- to know Christ
-To know the power of his resurrection
-To share in his sufferings and death.

16. Commentary con’t
• 12 It is not that I have
already taken hold of it or
have already attained
perfect maturity, but I
continue my pursuit in
hope that I may possess
it, since I have indeed
been taken possession of
by Christ (Jesus). 13
Brothers, I for my part do
not consider myself to
have taken possession.
Just one thing: forgetting
what lies behind but
straining forward to what
lies ahead, 14 I continue
my pursuit toward the
goal, the prize of God's
upward calling, in Christ
Jesus.
Paul continues his pursuit in hope that he
may possess it (resurrection of the dead).
(v.12)
He is already possessed by Christ. V.12
Christ has succeeded in possessing him.
Paul repeats what he says in v.12. God’s
upward calling = resurrection.v.14
But Paul admits he has not possessed
Christ yet. (v.13)
He forgets the past and moves forwards to
the future (like the message of the 1st
reading).
His future is Christ.

17. Reflections on the 2nd
reading
• Paul is relating his own experience of conversion.
(complete change of values)
• What is the story of our own conversion?
• If we take Paul as our inspiration, then our pursuit must
be to possess Jesus Christ.
• The things we value very much, we must consider as
rubbish (basura).
• Worldly values do not combine with Christ. For Paul, it
must be one or the other.
• Craving for things, prestige, etc., is a sign of the absence
of deep spirituality.
• Our goal must be to have “perfect maturity” (spiritual
maturity, knowing what is necessary and what is not) and to
experience resurrection.

18. Gospel Reading: John 8,1-11
• 1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 But early in the morning
he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started
coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 Then the
scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been
caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. 4 They said
to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of
committing adultery. 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to
stone such women. So what do you say?" 6 They said this to test
him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
7 But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and
said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the
first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he bent down and wrote on
the ground. 9 And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman
before him. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She
replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn
you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
The focus is on Jesus’ mercy to the sinner.

19. Gospel Reading: John 8,1-11
Setting
• 1 Then each went to his own house, while Jesus went to the Mount of
Olives. 2 But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and
all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught
in adultery and made her stand in the middle.
Testing Jesus
• 4 They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of
committing adultery. 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such
women. So what do you say?" 6 They said this to test him, so that they
could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus’ response to their nagging
• Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. 7 But
when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let
the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." 8
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
Getting his point
• 9 And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him. 10 Then Jesus
straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?" 11 She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither
do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
A simple outline!

20. Gospel Reading: John 8,1-11
Setting
• 1 Then each went to his own house, while Jesus
went to the Mount of Olives. 2 But early in the
morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all
the people started coming to him, and he sat down
and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and the
Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in
adultery and made her stand in the middle.
Testing Jesus
• 4 They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was
caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now
in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such
women. So what do you say?" 6 They said this to
test him, so that they could have some charge to
bring against him.
Jesus’ response to their nagging
• Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground
with his finger. 7 But when they continued asking
him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the
one among you who is without sin be the first to
throw a stone at her." 8 Again he bent down and
wrote on the ground.
Getting his point
• 9 And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with
the woman before him. 10 Then Jesus straightened
up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has
no one condemned you?" 11 She replied, "No one,
sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you.
Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
Commentary
Vv.1-3 provide the setting of the
controversy about to unfold. It is set
in the temple; People coming to
Jesus; the scribes and the
Pharisees too come, but with a
woman caught in adultery.
Vv.4-6 reveal the sinister plot of the
Scribes and Pharisees. They use
the woman caught in adultery.
In v.7, they force him to say something.
For whatever he would say should be a
cause for condemnation. But his
unexpected answer foil their plan.
Vv.6b and 8 enclose v.7. (Style: inclusion)
In vv.9-11, Jesus is left alone with
the woman. No condemnation from
the bad guys and from Jesus, of
course.

21. Reflections on the gospel readingReflections on the gospel reading
• Jesus comes not to condemn but to give life.
• It is not in his agenda to bring death to anyone.
• Jesus cannot be manipulated as an instrument of
condemnation.
• Shame on all those who try to use Jesus to
condemn others.
• There is hope to all sinners, no matter how
scandalous they have lived.
• The text invites all to repentance and to
appreciate the healing and life-giving/ preserving
forgiveness of Jesus.
• His forgiveness does not condone immorality.

22. Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm
• The first reading makes us focus our attention to
the new.
• The psalm celebrates great deeds of the Lord,
which are new in the eyes of the people.
• The second reading relates Paul’s new set of
values when he finds Jesus.
• The gospel reading demonstrates Jesus’
approach to the sinner, which is something new.
It seems that we should develop the theme of the new.
Lent is a season to experience newness offered by God.

23. How to develop your homily and sharing
• Begin by relating your experience of
wanting / craving for something new (the
newest dress, the latest cellphone, the newest car, ipod,
the newest product, etc.).
• The readings have different meanings of
the word “new” which each Christian
should crave.
• How should we understand “new”?

24. • The first reading defines new as something that
God is going to do for his people (something to
hope for).
– The new things are water in the desert, rivers in the
wasteland.
– New life to the discouraged and desperate people.
• The second reading defines new as a result of
knowing Jesus.
– Paul has learned a new criteria of judging what is to
be valued and what is to be considered trash.
• The gospel reading defines new as God’s
unchanging mercy and forgiveness, not affected
by pressures and malicious people.

25. • In this season of Lent, the readings call us also
to reject what is old. (sinful ways)
• The first reading considers old as
hopelessness, thinking only of the good ol’
days.
• The second reading considers old as the values
one holds on to before encounter with Jesus.
(being oppressive, narrow-minded)
• In the gospel reading, the old can be the
sinister plot of the scribes and the Pharisees,
bad intentions, their destructive scheme,
manipulation, putting others into embarrassing
situation, no delicadeza, using religion /
beliefs / laws to condemn others.
• If you have bad intentions, you can’t be right.

26. • In our families, communities and churches, we
must be on the look out for something new.
• We cannot afford to be basking in the good ol’
days.
• We should refrain from holding on to old stories,
citing they were better times.
• Don’t dampen the spirits of the young at heart.
• The New Evangelization calls for new ways to
evangelize.

27. • If we truly believe in Christ, we must dump a lot
of garbage that is in us, those that stink and that
are unacceptable Christian behaviors, etc.
• If we are Christians, we must forgive, even those
who give grave scandal, and guide them not to
sin again.
• We have something new if we now have the
ability to forgive others, have a better way to
deal with sinners (not condemnatory), have new
goals (to know Christ more), have better ways to
enjoy life, living moral lives, etc.

28. • The eucharist is an encounter with Christ who is always
ready to forgive us, to make us new.
• Christ comes to us, in the forms of bread and wine,
precisely to save us, not to condemn us.
• Our participation here is a sign that we accept God’s
forgiveness and love and that afterwards, we don’t go
back to sin.
• In this eucharist, we thank God for giving us another
chance. In our encounter with him, we are assured of our
resurrection and our salvation.

29. Our Context of Sin and GraceOur Context of Sin and Grace
• Dirty Old Men
• Adultery
• Fixated to the old ideas,
no ongoing formation
• Judgmental
• Misjudgment
• Bad intentions
• Saving others from
condemnation
• Forgiveness
• Giving another chance
• Arbitration
• Giving the benefit of the
doubt
• Open to new space and
time

30. Suggested SongsSuggested Songs
• It’s Time to Prepare (offertory)
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIandBaBMck
• Lord I know
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulqjOjYZOns

31. • Dear brothers and sisters,
• Are you a loving person? Then you don't
condemn.
•
• Fr. Cielo