1ST READING
God
does not allow injustice to prevail. He sends Daniel into this
situation to provide the means by which the sin of the two men is
uncovered. There may be times when justice does not happen in this life
and so it has to wait for the Day of Judgment. Whatever the case, we can
be sure that we will have to give a full account of the choices we have
made in our lifetime.
Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 (or Daniel 13:41-62)
1 In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim, 2 who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah; 3 her pious parents had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses. 4 Joakim
was very rich; he had a garden near his house, and the Jews had
recourse to him often because he was the most respected of them all. 5 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.” 6 These men, to whom all brought their cases, frequented the house of Joakim. 7 When the people left at noon, Susanna used to enter her husband’s garden for a walk. 8 When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust for her. 9 They
suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments. 15 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. 16 Nobody else was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her. 17 “Bring me oil and soap,” she said to the maids, “and shut the garden doors while I bathe.” 19 As soon as the maids had left, the two old men got up and hurried to her. 20 “Look,” they said, “the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. 21 If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you.” 22 “I am completely trapped,” Susanna groaned. “If I yield, it will be my death; if I refuse, I cannot escape your power. 23 Yet it is
better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord.” 24 Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her, 25 as one of them ran to open the garden doors. 26 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. 27 At the accusations by the old men, the servants felt very much ashamed, for never had any such thing been said about Susanna. 28 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: 29 “Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.” When she was sent for, 30 she came with her parents, children and all her relatives. 33 All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping. 34 In the
midst of the people the two elders rose up and laid their hands on her head. 35 Through her tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly. 36 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. 37 A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her. 38 When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime, we ran toward them. 39 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. 40 Then we seized this one and asked who the young man was, 41 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. 42 But Susanna cried aloud: “O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: 43 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.” 44 The Lord heard her prayer. 45 As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, 46 and he cried aloud: “I will have no part in the death of this woman.” 47 All the people turned and asked him,
“What is this you are saying?” 48 He
stood in their midst and continued, “Are you such fools, O Israelites!
To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear
evidence? 49 Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.” 50 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.” 51 But he replied, “Separate these two far
from each other that I may examine them.” 52 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: 53 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.’ 54 Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together.” 55 “Under a
mastic tree,” he answered. Daniel replied, “Your 40 fine lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two.” 56 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. 57 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. 58
Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.” 59 “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.” 60 The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him. 61 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: 62 they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day.
P S A L M
Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
R: Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 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.
(R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 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. (R)
GOSPEL
Jesus
reminds us that none of us is sinless and, as such, should not judge
others. The more we judge others, the harsher our own judgment will be.
Why? It is very simple. If we judge others, then we must live by that
standard ourselves. I would prefer to be judged by God and to let Him do
the judging of others, as I am sure that He will do a better job of it.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.
John 8:1-11
1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 But
early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the
people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. 4 They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 They
said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring
against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his
finger. 7 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.” 8 Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9
And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
think: If we judge others, then we must be willing to live by that standard ourselves.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: __________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today_
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Exodus 28-30
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