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Today's Readings
Reading I
Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62
In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim, who married a very
beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah;
her pious parents had trained their daughter according to the law of
Moses. 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. 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.
or
The assembly condemned Susanna 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.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. (4ab) Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil;
for you are at my side. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not
want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters
he leads me; he refreshes my soul. R. Even though I walk in the
dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. 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. R. Even though I walk in the dark
valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. You spread the
table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with
oil; my cup overflows. R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I
fear no evil; for you are at my side. 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. Even though I walk in the dark
valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Gospel
Jn 8:1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 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. Then the scribes and the
Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made
her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was
caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses
commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 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. 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 any more.” |
