Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent - March 18

 Daniel 13:41c-62     John 8:12-20

Both of today’s readings address questions of innocence and judgment. In the first reading, Susanna is blameless of the crime the two elders accuse her of. The elders know, Susanna knows it and we as readers know it too. Nevertheless, Susanna has few options beyond claiming her innocence, though the unjust elders could condemn her to death,

The unnamed prostitute in John’s gospel provides a contrast to Susanna as she does not protest her guilt or proclaim her innocence. She, too, passively accepts the likely death sentence for her crime. The gospel passage instead points to the collective guilt of the crowd that brought her before Jesus. As we watch this story develop, we are not seeing how the prostitute can escape her punishment.

In both readings, the crowds observing these situations go along with the prevailing opinion regarding the respective guilt of these women. The saving grace in both cases is the moral authority and courage of one individual. For Susanna, Daniel confronts these corrupt elders and demands to interrogate them separately. No one else challenged their authority to determine the guilt of Susanna. Daniel saves Susanna’s life.

The prostitute is likewise saved by the intercession of one person—Jesus. The way the prostitute is saved differs from Susanna. However, she is spared. Despite the fervor of the crowd to punish her, the prostitute does not die. Daniel uncovers the corruption and guilt of the two elders through interrogation. Jesus similarly uncovers the guilt of the crowd with one simple request. “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The crowd disperses as everyone acknowledges their sinful nature.

There is an important difference between these two women. Susanna is not guilty of a crime, while the prostitute was. Jesus’ forgiving nature provides a new path. Through his act of redemption, the unnamed prostitute can become a righteous woman like Susanna. May we all find redemption this Lenten season.

Q: To which woman’s situation can I most relate? Who has stood up and defended me?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

  Deuteronomy 30:15-20     Luke 9:22-25 Every Christmas Day – after the presents are open, breakfast is served, the boys are busy with their gifts– we settle in and watch It’s a Wonderful Life . It’s a tradition I cherish, while readying myself for a cathartic cry and all the feel-good Christmas sentiments this movie lends. I’ve watched this movie several times over the years, and every single time I do, I catch something new, something I’ve never seen before and the great significance it adds. This year was no different, when I noticed a framed quote that was hung underneath the portrait of Pa Bailey, prominently displayed on the office wall of the Building and Loan. In this scene, Geroge Bailey decides to stay at the “old building and loan” at the board’s request after his father passes. For a few seconds this portrait, and more pointedly the framed quote underneath, was zoomed in on, and stated “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.” ...
Read more

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent - March 23

  Ezekiel 37:21-28         John 11:45-56 Today’s passages spoke to me in many ways. The main way the first reading spoke to me was the sense of unity. Unity has always been a big part of the Old Testament. For instance, the Israelites‘ exodus, Adam and Eve’s bond, and God’s presence with his people are all instances of unity greatly benefiting everyone involved. There are also plenty of instances where a lack of unity is the source of bad things to come. Some of these include Saul and the burnt offering, the Israelites during the Judges period, or even our world right now. One of my favorite sayings is “There is no such thing as evil, only the lack of good.” In my heart I absolutely believe that to be true, and I feel the same is true for today’s reading. God makes everything good, and God is Goodness itself. We all do, or should, desire to have a personal and intimate relationship with God. Evil is the deprivation of good, and since Go...
Read more

Friday of the Third Week of Lent

  Hosea 14:2-10     Mark 12:28-34 In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us the greatest commandment, which is to love God above all things, to love him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. It may be hard to love someone you don’t know or don’t spend time with. But through the ways we love God, we can love others too. We can love using our strength by maybe doing physical works of service, and on the other hand, loving with your soul could mean taking time out of your day to relax or donate. I feel like the easiest method of loving God is through your heart. If you ask anyone, your heart symbolizes love, and you can do many different types of things to love God with your heart. Going to Church and praying every day are very good ways to love God with all your heart.   It also states in the Gospel that “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” You may think that you are far because of things that distract you in life. For ...
Read more