Reflections (2): Stones

Stones.

They were the first things she saw when she opened her eyes again.

She is standing in the middle of the empty courtyard. He is kneelinig down, writing in the sand, seemingly oblivious to everything around him. She looked around, and there are just the two of them left.

And the stones.

A moment ago, these same stones were clinched in the hands of angry men. Poised to be launched. To hurt. To injure. To punish. To cause pain. In the name of Justice. In the name of The Law. In the name of Honour and Discipline.

In the Name of God.

"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" the man said

Silence.

Thump. A stone fell.

Thump, thump, thump.

And now there is just the two of them left in the courtyard.

And the stones.

Meanwhile, the men spilled out into the streets.

"Hey, what happened this morning? I heard there was a stoning?"

"Don't ask me...I didn't throw my stone."

I didn't throw my stone.

Is that enough?

Is that all there is when we use words like "Community", "Forgiveness", "Embracing"?

When something goes wrong, terribly wrong with one of us, is that our defining "claim to fame" as a Christian Community?

"I didn't throw my stone. I am not here to judge."

So...what DID we do? What ARE we here for?

It's too bad the men left so quickly. Had they stayed around a bit, they would have heard Jesus' pronouncement of forgiveness: "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more."

If sin is communal. Perhaps they needed to hear it too.