A Message From St. Thomas of the Valley

Casting Stones

We’re all familiar with the story in John 8 of Jesus confronting the self-righteous elders who were about to stone a woman whom they were sure had sinned, and of Jesus saying to them "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

We humans like a good, story--the more lurid, the better. For some reason we’d rather hear and believe bad things about a person than good things, and then we take what we hear or what we think we’ve seen, as the truth without really knowing the whole story. Because of this, we frequently find ourselves condemning or disparaging other people even though we don’t have all the facts.

Unfortunately, that condemning and disparaging usually turns into ugly and vicious gossip and rumors. In the end, irreparable harm can be done to a person or that person’s integrity, even though the truth may be much different than what we believe. We start casting stones without having the authority to do so, and a stone once thrown is impossible to take back just as a reputation once ruined is almost impossible to restore.

Every one of us have acted in a way or said something big or small during our lives that we later regretted. All of us have been in situations that could be misinterpreted by another person (and probably were) who didn’t know what was really going on.

None of us is perfect, and none of us knows what another person is actually going through or their desperation in their trials. Rather than throwing stones at others, we should be praying for them, and not listening to or spreading rumors and gossip, no matter who or what the source. Remember that as you judge others, so will you be judged, and keep in mind that someone who loudly castigates another frequently has an ulterior agenda or something to hide themselves.

Even if the stories turn out to be true, we are still commanded to show the love of Christ, which doesn’t mean we accept what has happened as okay, but rather that as Christ did we still love the person. In addition, don't forget that numerous places in scripture caution us not to have anything to do with rumors or gossip.

Keep in mind that after the chastised elders had left the scene, leaving the woman with no one to condemn her, Jesus told the woman, "Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again" and that is how we, as the representatives of Christ to the world, should act.

In Christ’s love,

John
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2008-05-01