Daily Readings - Mon Apr 08 2019
Daniel
2And he received a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, who was very beautiful and God-fearing4But Joakim was very wealthy, and he had an orchard near his house, and the Jews flocked to him, because he was the most honorable of them all5And two elder judges had been appointed among the people that year, about whom the Lord has said, "Iniquity has come out of Babylon, from the elder judges, who seemed to govern the people.6These frequented the house of Joakim, and all came to them, who had need of judgment8And the elders saw her entering and walking around every day, and they were inflamed with desire towards her15But it happened, while they watched for an opportune day, that she entered at a particular time, just as yesterday and the day before, with only two maids, and she wanted to wash in the orchard, because it was so hot16And there was no one there, except the two elders in hiding, and they were studying her19But when the maids had departed, the two elders arose and hurried to her, and they said20"Behold, the doors of the orchard are closed, and no one can see us, and we are in desire for you. Because of these things, consent to us and lie with us21But if you will not, we will bear witness against you that a young man was with you and, for this reason, you sent your maids away from you.22Susanna sighed and said, "I am closed in on every side. For if I do this thing, it is death to me; yet if I do not do it, I will not escape your hands23But it is better for me to fall unavoidably into your hands, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.28when the people came to Joakim her husband, that the two appointed elders also came, full of wicked plans against Susanna, in order to put her to death41The multitude believed them, just as if they were elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death42But Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said, "Eternal God, who knows what is hidden, who knows all things before they happen43you know that they have borne false witness against me, and behold, I must die, though I have done none of these things, which these men have maliciously invented against me.44But the Lord heeded her voice45And when she was led away to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel46And he cried out with a loud voice, "I am clean of the blood of this one.48But he, while standing in the midst of them, said, "Are you so foolish, sons of Israel, that without judging and without knowing what the truth is, you have condemned a daughter of Israel49Return to judgment, because they have spoken false witness against her.50Therefore, the people returned with haste, and the old men said to him, "Come and sit down in our midst and show us, since God has given you the honor of old age.51And Daniel said to them, "Separate these at a distance from one another, and I will judge between them.52And so, when they were divided, one from the other, he called one of them, and he said to him, "You deep-rooted ancient evil, now your sins have come out, which you have committed before53judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and setting free the guilty, though the Lord declares, ‘The innocent and the just you must not put to death.54Now then, if you saw her, declare under which tree you saw them conversing together." He said, "Under an evergreen mastic tree.55But Daniel said, "Truly, you have lied against your own head. For behold, the angel of God, having received the sentence from him, will split you down the middle56And, having put him aside, he commanded the other to approach, and he said to him, "You offspring of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and desire has perverted your heart57Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they, out of fear, consorted with you, but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your iniquity58Now then, declare to me, under which tree you caught them conversing together." He said, "Under an evergreen oak tree.59And Daniel said to him, "Truly, you also have lied against your own head. For the angel of the Lord waits, holding a sword, to cut you down the middle and put you to death.60And then the entire assembly cried out in a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saves those who hope in him61And they rose up against the two appointed elders, (for Daniel had convicted them, by their own mouth, of bearing false witness,) and they did to them just as they had wickedly done against their neighbor62so as to act according to the law of Moses. And they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved on that day63But Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter, Susanna, with Joakim, her husband, and all her relatives, because there had been found in her no disgrace64And so Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, and thereafter
John
12Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me does not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.13And so the Pharisees said to him, "You offer testimony about yourself; your testimony is not true.14Jesus responded and said to them: "Even though I offer testimony about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going15You judge according to the flesh. I do not judge anyone16And when I do judge, my judgment is true. For I am not alone, but it is I and he who sent me: the Father17And it is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true18I am one who offers testimony about myself, and the Father who sent me offers testimony about me.19Therefore, they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered: "You know neither me, nor my Father. If you did know me, perhaps you would know my Father also.20Jesus spoke these words at the treasury, while teaching in the temple. And no one apprehended him, because his hour had not yet come
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that illuminate the triumph of truth and justice over deception and adversity. The story of Susanna from the Book of Daniel presents a tale of integrity and divine deliverance. Falsely accused by two corrupt elders, Susanna faces a dire situation, yet her unwavering faith in God leads to her salvation through the wisdom of Daniel. This narrative, part of the deuterocanonical texts, underscores the themes of justice and the intervention of the divine in human affairs.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus proclaims Himself as the "light of the world," emphasizing His divine authority and the truth He embodies. The Pharisees question His testimony, but Jesus affirms the validity of His words, supported by the Father. This passage highlights the conflict between human judgment and divine truth, inviting us to trust in God's wisdom over earthly perceptions.
Both readings converge on the theme of truth and justice. Susanna's story illustrates the failure of human justice and the triumph of divine intervention, while Jesus embodies the divine truth that transcends human understanding. Together, they call us to stand firm in our faith, trusting that God's truth will prevail despite life's challenges.
In our daily lives, we may face situations where our integrity is tested or we encounter unjust judgment. Like Susanna, we are called to remain steadfast, trusting in God's justice. Like Jesus, we are to embody His truth, confident in His divine plan. The moral lesson is clear: integrity and faith are our guiding principles, and God's truth will ultimately triumph. Let us, therefore, walk in the light of Christ, trusting in His divine justice and truth.