Jesus' Answer to Cancel Culture

 Fifth Sunday of Lent

03 April 2022

 

First Reading: IS 43:16-21

Responsorial Psalm: PS 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Second Reading: PHIL 3:8-14

Gospel: JN 8:1-11

 

Reflection

By: Emerson C. Maala

With the emergence of social media, everyone can now be connected with each other virtually. People who are far away from their relatives, friends, and loved ones can now become closer because of the easy access to social media. Moreover, it also becomes a mode of entertainment for others. One may watch a video of a crying kid, a dancing man, and others. One click of the camera, and then you're now in the social world. When you do good, you may trend positively. But when you do something unappealing to other people, you may trend negatively. This is where the cancel culture takes place. The people become enslaved with hatred and skepticism towards other people. Then it becomes the ground of harsh judgments without really trying to understand the context and searching for the truth. With that, we tend not to allow the person to change and be renewed.

In the First Reading, God reiterated to His people to see new things and not to remember the past. "See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19). One may understand the message of God literally to forget about the past. However, God did not want us to forget the past. God wants us to see good things without the hindrance of the past. For one may not know the grace of God because of the limitation of the past. This also applies to people. We may not understand a person if we only know the negative things he/she has without really trying to understand him/her.

This was affirmed by St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians where he tells us how God allows him to be renewed in Christ. Before, he was a persecutor of those who followed Jesus Christ. But now, he was able to overcome the wrong thing he had done to many allowing himself to follow and preach the Good News, who is Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel, Jesus Christ was cornered by the Scribes and Pharisees as they brought the adulterer woman. They test Jesus by posting a question concerning the law given by Moses and canceling the adulterer woman. But Jesus has an astonishing answer. "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone on her."

In our life, we might have been like the Scribes and Pharisees, cultivating a cancel culture. We become judgmental of others as if we have not sinned against our brothers and sisters. This is what the Fifth Sunday of Lent is telling us. As the Easter fast approaches, Jesus wants us not to look at the sins of others. But on ourselves be renewed and turn away from our own sin, for He gives us every chance to renew our lives and follow Him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your word today, help us to become more understanding in every situation. Help us to cancel the cancel culture and replace it with a culture of love. These we ask, in Jesus' Most Holy Name, Amen.