Meditations

This monologue (inspired by John 8: 1-11) was written by Susan Carne at the ArtServe creative writing workshop held at Thetford on 31 August 2013.

Fear was overwhelming. I was going to be stoned to death. The Romans had forbidden the practice but I didn’t know that then. I just knew that my husband wanted revenge and having dragged me to the Temple Court the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees seemed more than happy to oblige.

Made to stand in front of Jesus as they continued to question Him, I watched His finger drawing in the sand while waves of guilt and humiliation coursed through my body.

I’ll never forget those words

‘If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’

I held my breath, waiting for the first rock to hit me but it never came. Very slowly one man after another began to move away.

Andrew stared at me. He told me afterwards that he suddenly began to have memories of the times he had failed me, hurt me, ignored me, abused me, and he felt sin as a real thing for the first time in his life. He walked away in a daze and had gone home and sat there in silence until I returned in fear later.

Finally when Jesus and I were the only ones left I wondered what was going to happen.

He stood up, looked around and a wry smile appeared on His face as He asked me where my accusers were. I was so nervous when I replied, ‘There is no one, Sir’.

He looked at me very seriously and yet His eyes were gentle. Can you imagine the Son of God looking you full in the face and saying ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.’

Of course later we came to understand that He had come to do this for each one of us. No condemnation but substitution for our sins. To walk away feeling clean, forgiven, still knowing there were consequences to be faced but with a hope, a strength that was given. His Grace we call it now, but then as I walked back to face Andrew I just felt empowered.