Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 6, 2025
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
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.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
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.
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.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
As we age, we start to think about death more often, especially what will happen when we take our last breath. What comes next? The church teaches we will experience our “particular judgment.” It is particular because it concerns our own lives. It is a judgment because Jesus Christ himself will be there to judge how we lived our lives in relation to his love.
All of this happens immediately. It is the moment when our soul will be assigned to either heaven, hell, or purgatory. The Latin phrase “Tempus fugit, memento mori” applies here. This Knights of Columbus motto means, “Time flies, remember death.” Our death and the ensuing particular judgment are something we should keep in mind and prepare for—even more so as we age.
The familiar incident of the woman caught in adultery in the Sunday gospel has one similarity to our particular judgment and two major differences. Can you recognize them?
The similarity is that we will also be with Jesus. We, too, can count on being face-to-face with our merciful Lord. The story is very hopeful because Jesus forgives the woman of her sins. One difference is that the crowds accusing the woman will not be at our particular judgment. Rather, our actions will speak for themselves. Jesus knows how we lived and loved. We will be our own accusers.
The other difference is from the last line of the gospel. Jesus tells the woman, “Go, and from now on, do not sin any more.” The woman isn’t dead. She can walk away from this scene and amend her life, but for us, there won’t be any do-overs. Our life will have to speak for itself.
Prayer
Good and loving God, we desire to live your law rightly, but at times we lose sight of your call for us to love. Have mercy on us, and grant us the courage and strength to act mercifully with everyone we meet. Convert our hearts, that we may draw others to you with our love. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Peter of Verona was famous for moving people with his preaching and miracles and was eventually killed because he proclaimed the truth so effectively.
Peter was born in the year 1205 in Italy, and when he went to study at the University of Bologna, he was offended by the behavior of his classmates. At the same time, he met the great St. Dominic and decided to follow him and entered the Order of Preachers.
Peter dedicated himself whole-heartedly to religious life—he spent his days in study or prayer or serving the sick. He grew into a successful preacher and traveled the region speaking to crowds.
He was falsely accused of scandalous behavior, and was exiled to a distant monastery until his name was cleared. He nearly despaired from the crisis, complaining that he had done nothing to deserve this trial. The insight came to him that Christ did not deserve his passion and death, and this thought restored his courage. When his name was cleared, he was even more effective as a preacher.
His eloquence and wisdom encouraged those struggling with their faith and brought back those who had wandered. He often spoke against those who professed to be Christian with their words, but who did not support those beliefs with their behavior.
He was given the gift of working miracles to accompany his preaching, and so many people were eager to hear him and be near him that he was often nearly crushed by the crowds that rushed together when he appeared.
In 1234, the pope appointed Peter as an inquisitor for the territory around Milan, which gave Peter an even wider context in which to defend and promote the faith. In addition to his preaching, he confronted heresy and reconciled those whose beliefs had strayed from the Church's.
His efforts created a number of enemies, as can be imagined, and they soon began to threaten his life. When he preached on Palm Sunday in 1252, he announced that a price had been placed on his head. “Let them do their worst,” he said. “I shall be more powerful dead than alive.”
On this date in 1252, Peter was traveling with another Dominican brother through the woods between towns when they were followed by assassins. One of the killers, a man named Carino, struck Peter on the head with an axe. Peter fell to the ground, wounded terribly but still conscious. Carino then attacked Peter’s companion. Peter began to recite the Apostle’s Creed before he was struck again and killed (which is why he is depicted with the word credo above, “I believe”). The other Dominican brother died five days later.
Carino, the assassin, fled to a distant town but was overwhelmed with shame at his actions. He repented of his crime and turned from the heresy that had inspired his opposition to Peter. He even later joined the Dominicans himself and was remembered as a holy man when he died.
Peter was canonized less than a year after his death, the fastest canonization ever. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus. Some calendars mark his feast on April 29, and he is also known as Peter the Martyr.
St. Peter of Verona, you were the wonder-working preacher who was assassinated for opposing heresy—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Peter of Verona is an illustration by Notre Dame alumnus Matthew Alderman '06, who holds exclusive rights to the further distribution and publication of his art. Used here with permission.