Jesus bent down

“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.” (JN 8: 6-8)

This is a perfect reminder for us to check the right conscience—not the conscience of our spouses but our own one. Jesus bent twice, and “teaches us to bend down in humility to examine ourselves both before and after addressing the faults of our neighbor” (St. Bede). When we practice to defend our spouses even if accusation comes from me, we do what we are obliged to do—stop changing your spouse, change yourself.

“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.” (Gospel Acclamation)