“Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone...”
 
During my early years, growing up in Catholic school, I was raised to fear God and feel guilt for things I did or said wrong or failed to do and say.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus neither condemned the woman nor ignored her sin.  That’s the all-forgiving and all-loving Jesus that I’ve come to know as my faith strengthened over the years! 
 
As a Mom, I often had to maintain the delicate balance of forgiving my kids, while at the same time, not condoning their wrong-doings.  Jesus challenges me to live life with compassion, even for the sinners.  How many times am I ready to throw a stone before I’ve looked at the “big picture”?
 
You may be surprised, but I was far from an angel growing up!  That’s just another reason that I am so drawn to work with teens.  I understand what it is like to walk that fine line between being good and bad.  When I was young, that’s what made life more fun and adventurous!   
 
Regardless of whether I was good or bad, my faith was always my rock.  My prayers are incredibly powerful!  I am almost always willing to “forgive seventy times seventy”!  God has granted me His gift of GRACE more times than I can remember.  He works through me, the living proof, that Jesus is the ONE who is WONDERFULLY AWESOME!
 

Once all villagers decided to pray for rain.
On the day of prayer, all of the people gathered,
But only one girl came with an umbrella.
THAT’S FAITH!
 
~author unknown~