Fifth Sunday – Lent Cycle C

Reflecting on John 8: 1-11

Death by stoning must have been a terrible thing to endure, to participate in, and to watch.  Even though the Bible speaks of it, there are very, very few instances of it actually being carried out.  By the time the religious leaders in today’s Gospel pushed that poor woman towards Jesus they had already lost the right to put anyone to death.  They knew she wouldn’t be killed because they didn’t have the legal right to kill her.  However, hoping to indict Jesus by trapping him into a wrong answer, they reminded him that, according to Mosaic Law, she should be stoned.  What did he have to say about that?

With the emergence of the Taliban and radical Islamist fundamentalism, execution by stoning has occurred in recent times. Although blessedly rare, there are records of it in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Iran.  In 2008 a 13-year old Somalian girl was stoned to death for “adultery”.  After her death it was revealed that she had actually been assaulted by a gang of men.

But here’s something fascinating: some Islamic scholars point out that stonings are supposed to be used only as a last resort, and only within those Islamic societies that have eliminated poverty and corruption. Since neither requirement has ever been fulfilled, no society may carry out that torture.

Has any society in history ever met that requirement? No wonder the elders led the way in walking away.

Sharing God’s Word at Home:

Do you think this same requirement should be met before anyone is ever executed?

Lent - Cycle C