This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday in Lent, Year C. In yesterday’s post we left the scene with the scribes and Pharisee awaiting Jesus’ answer: “So what do you say?” When he heard what the teachers of the law said, Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. This action has been variously interpreted. Some say Jesus was embarrassed to be confronted by a promiscuous woman (unlikely); others, that it was a ploy to gain time to think how best to answer. Some suggest that he was writing the sins of the accusers, a tradition that goes back to St Jerome and which later appeared in 10th century Armenian gospel manuscript. Continue reading →