Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, of whom the Lord said, «Wickedness has come out of Babylon: from the elders who were to govern the people as judges». These men, to whom all brought their cases, frequented the house of Joakim. When the people left at noon, Susanna used to enter her husband's garden for a walk. When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust for her. They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments.
One day, while they were waiting for the right moment, she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only. She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm. Nobody else was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her. «Bring me oil and soap», she said to the maids, «and shut the garden doors while I bathe». As soon as the maids had left, the two old men got up and hurried to her. «Look», they said, «the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you».
«I am completely trapped», Susanna groaned. «If I yield, it will be my death; if I refuse, I cannot escape your power. Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord». Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her, as one of them ran to open the garden doors. When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden, they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her. At the accusations by the old men, the servants felt very much ashamed, for never had any such thing been said about Susanna.
When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day, the two wicked elders also came, fully determined to put Susanna to death. Before all the people they ordered: «Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim». When she was sent for, she came with her parents, children and all her relatives. All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping. In the midst of the people the two elders rose up and laid their hands on her head. Through tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly. The elders made this accusation: «As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman entered with two girls and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls. A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her. When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime, we ran toward them. We saw them lying together, but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we; he opened the doors and ran off. Then we seized her and asked who the young man was, but she refused to tell us. We testify to this».
The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. But Susanna cried aloud: «O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me».
The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud: «I will have no part in the death of this woman». All the people turned and asked him, «What is this you are saying?». He stood in their midst and continued, «Are you such fools, O children of Israel! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her». Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, «Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age». But he replied, «Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them».
After they were separated one from the other, he called one of them and said: «How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term: passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, ‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death’. Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together». «Under a mastic tree», he answered. Daniel replied, «Your fine lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two».
Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. Daniel said to him, «Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience. This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together». «Under an oak», he said. Daniel replied, «Your fine lie has cost you also your head, for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both».
The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him. They rose up against the two elders, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor: they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day.
He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.
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. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
“Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
Fr. Jordi PASCUAL i Bancells (Salt, Girona, Spain)Today, we are given to see in the Gospel the merciful face of Jesus. God is love, and Love that forgives, Love that takes pity on our failings, Love that saves. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees said: “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.” (Jn 8:4) and they asked the Lord: “So what do you say?” (Jn 8:5). They were not as much interested in following Jesus' teachings as they were in accusing Him of going against the Mosaic Law. But the Master takes advantage of this occasion to manifest that He has come to seek the sinners, to straighten out the fallen, to call them to conversion and to penance. And this is for us the message for Lent, inasmuch as we are all sinners and we all need God's saving grace.
Today, it is said that the sense of sin has been stifled. There are many who do not know what is good or bad, nor why. It is like saying —in a positive way— that the sense of Love for God has been quenched: of God's Love for us, and the reciprocity this Love exacts from us. He who loves does not offend. He, who recognizes being loved and forgiven renders love for Love: “They asked the Friend which was the source of love. He answered, the one where the Beloved has cleansed our fault” (Ramon Llull).
This is why, the sense of conversion and penance during Lent is to confront us face-to-face with God, to look straight into the eyes of God in the Cross, to personally go and confess our sins to Him by way of the sacrament of Penance. And, Jesus will tell us, as He did with the woman in the Gospel: “Neither do I condemn you. “Go, from now on do not sin any more.” (Jn 8:11). God forgives, and, on our side, this entails a demand, a commitment: Do not sin again!
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“It is important to be aware that we would never thus transport ourselves when looking at divine mercy that we would not remember justice; nor would we look at justice in such a way that we would not remember mercy; thus, neither hope will lack fear, nor fear will lack hope.” (Ven. Louis of Granada)
“‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her’. These words are full of the disarming power of truth that pulls down the wall of hypocrisy and opens consciences to a greater justice, that of love.” (Benedict XVI)
“God shows forth his almighty power by converting us from our sins and restoring us to his friendship by grace. ‘God, you show your almighty power above all in your mercy and forgiveness…’ (Roman Missal, 26th Sunday, Opening Prayer).” (Catechism Of The Catholic Church, Nº 277)
November 3rd
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Gospel and commentary video
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November 2nd
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Gospel and commentary video
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November 1st
Solemnity of All Saints
Gospel and commentary video
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The calendar of Saints and Solemnities for November
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