“Imagining the Gospel Scene” is a series from the Jesuit Media Lab. On occasional Sundays throughout this liturgical year, creators in the JML community will respond to the day’s Gospel passage through the practice of Ignatian contemplation, or what is sometimes called “imaginative prayer.”
In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola invites participants to place ourselves in Gospel scenes using the imagination, relying on our senses to develop a distinctive, personal perspective on a given story — and thereby getting to know Christ better. After praying with the Gospel using their imaginations, our contributors will create a piece of art flowing from their experience — a painting, poem, short story, song, photograph or work in another medium.
In today’s installment, Allison Beyer offers a poem in response to John 8:1-11.
Fifth Sunday of Lent: April 6, 2025
John 8:1-11
A Dare
We expect to be
disappointed
let down
disregarded.
This is what we
have learned,
What we have been
taught.
Show us otherwise.
Prove us wrong.
Delight us by
the surprising
and unprecedented
sense of
being believed
taken into account
Followed.
What would it mean
to follow
[not destroy, not even merely tolerate or take pleasure in]
a woman?
It would look a lot like
death
la Vía Crucis
The Way.
It would look like
laying down your life
for your friend.
It would look like
every single stone
falling one by one by one by one
[thud thud thud thud thud thud]
onto the ground
[dust rising]
Where the woman stands
her two feet planted, unflinching
Unmoving
near The One bent low
Who dared them all to be
the first to cast their stone.
His calloused fingers, curved
in the softness
of the earth.
The only one to stay
long after the dust had
settled
and all the other feet
had walked away.
It would look like gathering all
the tears of soldiers and civilians, of children,
of widows, of the earth
into a common cup,
—a chalice—
raising it to your lips and professing,
Amen, I do believe.
Your body. Given up for me.
Given up for her.
Given up for them.
Given up for us.
Amen, I do believe, Lord.
Help my unbelief.
Top artwork: “Christ and Sinner” by Henryk Siemiradzki (public domain)