A Chapter Conference for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

+ At the Magnificat at Vespers last evening—celebrated in rose—we sang of Saturday morning’s very ‘purple’ Gospel (as it were): “Nemo te condemnavit mulier? Nemo Domine. Nec ego te condemnabo: iam amplius noli peccare.” Hath no man condemned thee, woman? No one, Lord. Neither do I condemn thee: henceforth sin no more.”

Now this woman was utterly guilty of grave sin: caught in the very act of committing adultery as the Gospel records. Indeed, in some ways this gospel is more ‘scarlet’ than ‘purple’. And yet, for this guilt-ridden adulteress there is mercy and forgiveness—nothing less than the meek and tender love of Christ Himself, as Saint Augustine so beautifully underlined at matins on Saturday morning.

Whether our sins are or were similarly salacious, shameless or even scandalous—or not—the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully taught and proclaimed in the one Church founded by Our Blessed Lord Himself throughout the centuries down to our own day insists that this generous, loving, restorative forgiveness is available to all to seek it with a sincere heart (but, indeed, that it is not forced on those who do not).

It is interesting that the Gospel itself does not record the woman’s penitence: she did not arrive at remorse or regret for what she had done—she had little time for this! She was undoubtedly terrified at her impending ignominious execution. Hers may very well have been quite an imperfect contrition, and yet the Lord’s grace was superabundant.

Nevertheless, it was not ‘cheap grace’. Her unusual and singular encounter with Our Lord brought her not condemnation, but forgiveness—with, however, the injunction: “iam amplius noli peccare.” Henceforth sin no more.

Here is the call to radical conversion which is at the heart of the Gospel, at the very heart of all that the Church has done throughout the centuries and shall ever do whilst this world lasts: the call to accept the mercy and forgiveness won for us by the unique Saviour and Lord of all, Jesus Christ, and henceforth, to resolve to sin no more.

The world, the flesh and the devil don’t make the latter particularly easy for any of us, of course, and that is why some of us (need to) seek the discipline of the monastic life. It is why the whole Church observes this sacred season of Lent as a period of purification and further training in the ascetical life. Please God, as a result of the graces to which our penitential practices have opened our hearts and souls this Lent, we are making at least some progress in fulfilling the Lord’s injunction.

Last evening’s Magnificat antiphon was, of course, the Communion antiphon at Mass also—most appositely, no? For who may worthily approach to eat of the Bread of Life save those to whom the Lord has said: “Nec ego te condemnabo”. And what else do we have to sustain us in our efforts to avoid future sin other than this very Bread, His Flesh, given for the life of the world (cf. Jn 6:51).

In the light of His mercy and of the grace which He offers us to strengthen us in His service we can don rose vestments, we can joyfully sing the “Laetare” of this morning’s Introit. Amidst all that we must face personally, communally and as the Church in the world there is still very much—indeed, ultimately, far more--about which to rejoice.

This morning’s Gospel, too, ought to give us hope and much about which to rejoice. What indeed can one do with but five barley loaves and two fish when faced with a great multitude of hungry people—about five thousand of them?

We can do little except present the meagre resources we have to the Lord. But His blessing can do all. My brothers, we see this miracle in our midst, in our little monastery, where we are few and yet, with the Lord’s blessing good and indeed great things occur when, in faith, we present to Him our all and leave unto Him that which he will do with it.

This reality is so profound that today the Sacred Liturgy almost stammers in its face—the antiphons for Terce and Sext can speak of nothing else. Let us not neglect to ponder its import in respect of ourselves and our vocation, and in respect of the means that are at our disposal in seeking to live it. Let this Truth motivate us to continue to bring what we have, howsoever modest, to the Lord that he might do with it what He will.

What the woman caught in adultery brought to the Lord—when she was literally dragged to Him—was sin and guilt. She received mercy, forgiveness and a clear indication of how to live in the future. The boy in today’s Gospel presented the Lord with a few loaves and fish. He saw them feed thousands of hungry people.
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Let us pray today that we, our family, friends and benefactors, that the Church, may come to know and daily live from the realities of God’s mercy and of His Providence, in the words of today’s Collect: “ut, qui ex merito nostræ actiónis afflígimur, tuæ grátiæ consolatióne respirémus;” - that, in spite of the punishment that our sins deserve, we may breathe anew by the consolation of God’s grace.
For this singular privilege and opportunity we may indeed rejoice. +

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