I wrote this reflection while being in Umphang, a district of Thailand, at the border with the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Umphang is known for its natural beauty: radiant landscapes, waterfalls and cool weather. People from different cities of Thailand and from abroad enjoy taking vacation in this area, traveling in the winding highways, enjoying a peaceful atmosphere. However, behind this beauty there is there is the challenging reality, namely the condition of migrants fleeing war, persecution and economic hardship from Myanmar. These people being away from their land, face many hardships related to  the education of their children, feeding of their families, healthcare, and social and cultural challenges. This is not just the story of Myanmar; it is the story many other countries, among them my own country, the Democratic Republic of Congo torn out by an unjust war which has taken millions of innocent lives, mostly women and children, women being raped, and causing millions of refugees inside and outside of the country. It is also the story of Sudan, Ukraine, and many other nations where war, violence and injustice reign. On top of war, natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes…) leave thousands of people homeless, deepening the wounds of suffering, like the recent one that struck Myanmar and Thailand, whose aftermaths are still amid us. In the face of such pain, we may ask ourselves: where is God? Has he abandoned us? Why does He allow such suffering? The readings of this 5^th Sunday came to me as an appropriate response to these questions. They teach us that God is with us even in suffering, and He is at work to bring new life, even when we cannot see it yet.

The first reading is from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is. 43:16-21). It was written during the exile of the Jews in Babylon. This was a very hard experience whereby they were obliged to stay far away from Jerusalem in a kind of slavery, deprived of their dignity. Some would feel abandoned by God, but God strengthens them through the prophet Isaiah, telling them: “no need to recall the past, no need to think about what was done before. See, I am doing a new deed, even now it comes to light; can you not see it?”  Through these inspiring words, God guarantees his people that He is not just the God who has worked marvels in the past, but He is also a God who is present, who walks with his people, opening new ways for them. Amid the challenges we are facing in this world nowadays, may may feel also like abandoned by God, like walking alone  in the desert of war, displacement, hunger and thirst; however, the world of God tells us today that God is truly at work in our lives. We should therefore live in hope that God is opening new paths, paths of peace and happiness. 

In the second reading (Philippians 3: 8-14), Paul, writing from the prison, speaks of his past that was not so good. In the past he was persecuting the Christians, but now He enjoys a new relationship with Jesus. His touching statement is: “forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).   Paul wants to teach us that we cannot remain prisoners of our past, though we have passed through adversities. It is not about ignoring our pain caused by war, by natural disaster or by hardships, but it is about acknowledging and assuming it.  Moreover, we need to know that we are not defined by suffering, but by God’s love. Thus, amid the challenges we are facing in today’s world, we should trust in Jesus Christ and know that there is always a future.  Jesus is able change our mourning into songs of Joy.  

And finally, in the Gospel, the scribes and the pharisees bring to Jesus a woman caught in adultery, claiming that according to the law of Moses such a woman should be stoned to death. However, Jesus bends down and begins to write down with His finger, then He says: “let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”. One by one, they all leaves, letting Jesus alone with a woman. Finally, Jesus tells the woman “Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now do not sin anymore”.  This story is not just about mercy or forgiveness, but it is about a new beginning as well. The woman caught in adultery was hopeless; she had lost her dignity and reputation and her future because of self-righteous people; but Jesus opened her the door of hope, giving her back her life. The same way in our lives, when the world is unjust, God renders us justice in his love, when it is cruel, God is merciful and is able to tell us “I don’t condemn you”. God calls us to stand up and get out of our suffering, seeking new life in him. God is telling us “Go, and sin no more”, Rise up, and undertake a new life. Just as Jesus doesn’t abandon this woman in her affliction, He doesn’t abandon the world in it’s troubles as well. God is always at work in our lives. 

1. In the midst of suffering—whether personal, communal, or global—how have I experienced (or failed to recognize) the presence of God working quietly and lovingly in my life or in the lives of others?

  2. Like the woman caught in adultery and the exiled people of Israel, what is the “new beginning” that God might be inviting me to embrace today, despite the brokenness and challenges I face?