Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 4-07-03

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

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

In Year C, when this Gospel is read on the preceding Sunday, the following text is used.

GOSPEL

I am the light of the world.

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 8:12-20

Jesus spoke to them again, saying,
"I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life."
So the Pharisees said to him,
"You testify on your own behalf,
so your testimony cannot be verified."
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified,
because I know where I came from and where I am going.
But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.
And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid,
because I am not alone,
but it is I and the Father who sent me.
Even in your law it is written
that the testimony of two men can be verified.
I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me."
So they said to him, "Where is your father?"
Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father.
If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
He spoke these words
while teaching in the treasury in the temple area.
But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

From: John 8:1-11

The Adulterous Woman

[2] Early in the morning He (Jesus) came again to the temple; all the
people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. [3] The scribes
and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and
placing her in the midst [4] they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has
been caught in the act of adultery. [5] Now in the law Moses commanded
us to stone such. What do you say about her?" [6] This they said to
test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus
bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. [7] And as they
continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, "Let him who is
without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." [8] And
once more He bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground.
[9] But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with
the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before
Him. [10] Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?" [11] She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus
said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."

Commentary:

1-11. This passage is absent from many ancient codexes, but it was in
the Vulgate when the Magisterium, at the Council of Trent, defined the
canon of Sacred Scripture. Therefore, the Church regards it as
canonical and inspired, and has used it and continues to use it in the
liturgy. It is also included in the New Vulgate, in the same position
as it occupied before.

St. Augustine said that the reason doubts were raised about the passage
was that it showed Jesus to be so merciful that some rigorists thought
it would lead to a relaxation of moral rules--and therefore many
copyists suppressed it from their manuscripts (cf. "De Coniugiis
Adulterinis", 2, 6).

In commenting on the episode of the woman caught in adultery Fray Luis
de Granada gives these general considerations on the mercy of Christ:
"Your feelings, your deeds and your words should be akin to these, if
you desire to be a beautiful likeness of the Lord. And therefore the
Apostle is not content with telling us to be merciful; he tells us, as
God's sons, to put on `the bowels of mercy' (cf. Colossians 3:12).
Imagine, then, what the world would be like if everyone arrayed
themselves in this way.

"All this is said to help us understand to some degree the great
abundance of the goodness and compassion of our Savior, which shine
forth so clearly in these actions of His, for [...] in this life we
cannot know God in Himself; we can know Him only through His
actions. [...] But it should also be pointed out that we should never
act in such a way in view of God's mercy, that we forget about His
justice; nor should we attend to His justice forgetting about His
mercy; for hope should have in it an element of fear, and fear an
element of hope" ("Life of Jesus Christ", 13, 4).

1. We know that on a number of occasions our Lord withdrew to the Mount
of Olives to pray (cf. John 18:2; Luke 22:39). This place was to the
east of Jerusalem; the Kidron Valley (cf. John 18:1) divided it from
the hill on which the temple was built. It had from ancient times been
a place of prayer: David went there to adore God during the difficult
period when Absalom was in revolt (2 Samuel 15:32), and there the
prophet Ezekiel contemplated the glory of Yahweh entering the temple
(Ezekiel 43:1-4). At the foot of the hill there was a garden, called
Gethsemane or "the place of the oil-press", an enclosed plot containing
a plantation of olive trees. Christian tradition has treated this
place with great respect and has maintained it as a place of prayer.
Towards the end of the fourth century a church was built there, on
whose remains the present church was built. There are still some
ancient olive trees growing there which could well derive from those of
our Lord's time.

6. The question put by the scribes and Pharisees has a catch: our Lord
had often shown understanding to people they considered sinners; they
come to Him now with this case to see if He will be equally
indulgent--which will allow them to accuse Him of infringing a very
clear precept of the Law (cf. Leviticus 20:10).

7. Jesus' reply refers to the way stoning was carried out: those who
witnessed the crime had to throw the first stones, and then others
joined in, to erase the slur on the people which the crime implied
(cf. Deuteronomy 17:7). The question put to Jesus was couched in
legal terms; He raises it to the moral plane (the basis and
justification of the legal plane), appealing to the people's
conscience. He does not violate the law, St. Augustine says, and at
the same time He does not want to lose what He is seeking--for He has
come to save that which was lost: "His answer is so full of justice,
gentleness and truth. [...] O true answer of Wisdom. You have heard:
Keep the Law, let the woman be stoned. But how can sinners keep the
Law and punish this woman? Let each of them look inside himself and
enter the tribunal of his heart and conscience; there he will discover
that he is a sinner. Let this woman be punished, but not by sinners;
let the Law be applied, but not by its transgressors" (St. Augustine,
"In Ioann. Evang.", 33, 5).

11. "The two of them were left on their own, the wretched woman and
Mercy. But the Lord, having smitten them with the dart of justice,
does not even deign to watch them go but turns His gaze away from them
and once more writes on the ground with His finger. But when the woman
was left alone and they had all gone, He lifted up His eyes to the
woman. We have already heard the voice of justice; let us now hear the
voice of gentleness. I think that the woman was the more terrified
when she heard the Lord say, `Let him who is without sin among you be
the first to throw a stone at her,' [...] fearing now that she would be
punished by Him, in whom no sin could be found. But He, who had driven
away her adversaries with the tongue of justice, now looking at her
with the eyes of gentleness asks her, `Has no one condemned you?' She
replies, `No one, Lord.' And He says, `Neither do I condemn you; I who
perhaps you feared would punish you, because in Me you have found no
sin.' Lord, can it be that You favor sinners? Assuredly not. See
what follows" `Go and sin no more.' Therefore the Lord also condemned
sin, but not the woman' (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 33, 5-6).

Jesus, who is the Just One, does not condemn the woman; whereas these
people are sinners, yet they pass sentence of death. God's infinite
mercy should move us always to have compassion on those who commit
sins, because we ourselves are sinners and in need of God's
forgiveness.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. John Baptist de la Salle was born in France around the year 1651
of a noble, Catholic family. As a young man, John excelled in his
studies and at the age of 11 decided that he was called to the
priesthood. After his ordination at the age of 27, John expected to
serve a quiet life as a parish priest, but God began to draw him down
another path. Over the next several years, John began to see a need
to educate the poor boys of the neighborhoods around his parish.
John gave of himself to educate the boys and at first found the task
distasteful, but he soon became more involved and began to enjoy
the work.

Once John realized that God was calling him to minister to poor boys
and provide for their education, he left all that he knew, his parish,
his family, and his friends, and set out on the mission. John's work
among poor boys soon gained recognition and a group of men
began to follow him and utilize him for spiritual direction. These men
became the first brothers of the Brothers of the Christian School,
also known as Christian Brothers. Through many trials John led the
new community, establishing schools and serving the needs of the
poor. At the age of 68, in the year 1719, John died. He was
canonized in 1900 and is a patron of school teachers.

-----

QUOTE OF THE DAY

An evil thought defiles the soul when it is deliberate and consented
to. Our Lord placed evil thoughts at the head of all crimes, because
they are their principle and source. -St. John Baptist de la Salle

---

TODAY IN HISTORY

1541 St. Francis Xavier SJ and three companions set sail from
Lisbon, Portugal for Goa. They became the first modern Roman Catholic missionaries to travel to India.

-----

TODAY'S TIDBIT

The Christian Brothers were founded in 1684 and were originally
dedicated to the education of the poor. The order has houses and
schools throughout the world.

----

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for all people involved in education.

The Word Among Us

Monday, April 07, 2003

Meditation
John 8:1-11

Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more. (John 8:11)

Thank you, Jesus, that every day you love us with the same love you showed this poor woman. Among everyone present that day, you alone could have cast the first stone. But you didn’t hold her sins against her. Thank you for seeing me in this same light. You don’t love my sin, but you do love me. How incomprehensible is this love!

Jesus, your love is abounding in compassion. This woman knew she had sinned—perhaps she was even repentant—but she received nothing but ridicule and scorn from the scribes and elders. While they insisted on justice untempered by mercy, you lavished mercy upon her. When you told this woman, “Go and sin no more,” you gave her the ability to let go of a dark area of her life. Thank you that you desire to do the same for us. No sin is too great for you to conquer! No darkness falls outside the power and light of your love! When you convict us of sin, you also offer complete forgiveness. Such a combination makes our hearts burn with joy and fills us with a desire to walk away from sin and into the light of your presence.

Lord Jesus, strengthen our hearts and minds to resist the taunts and accusations of the devil. Help us to close our ears to his ridicule and to run instead to receive you for wisdom and encouragement. Your love convicts in a way that doesn’t condemn. It separates us from all that does not honor you. It convinces us that we can experience life to the full in your presence. Your love proves to us that we can walk with you at every moment of our lives.

“Jesus, I love you with all my heart. Let the fire of your love burn in me. Send your Holy Spirit to guide me in your paths of righteousness. I know I fall short many times. But with my sister, the adulterous woman, I rejoice in your mercy, love, and compassion.”

One Bread, One Body

<< Monday, April 7, 2003 >>

St. John Baptist de la Salle

Daniel 13:41-62

Psalm 23

John 8:1-11

View Readings

PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

“The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel.” —Daniel 13:44-45

Susanna was a victim of an unjust and lustful system which had oppressed many people for years (see Dn 13:52-53, 57). She refused to compromise her covenant with the Lord (Dn 13:23). She prayed and the Holy Spirit saved her life through Daniel.

Many of us have been victimized by the culture of death. Unlike Susanna, many have compromised their faith. But if we would repent, be faithful to the Lord, and pray for the Holy Spirit to be stirred into flame in our lives (2 Tm 1:6-7), we would “beat the system” and replace the culture of death with a civilization of love and life.

In less than two weeks, we will begin the Easter season by being questioned whether we believe in the Holy Spirit. If we say “I do,” we should pray every day of the rest of our lives to the Spirit, in the Spirit, and for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We should pray for new Pentecosts after new Pentecost.

“Not by an army, nor by might, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zec 4:6). Only the Spirit of God can do the work of God, for “flesh begets flesh, Spirit begets spirit” (Jn 3:6). The Church must again enter the upper room and together devote itself to constant prayer for the coming of the Spirit (Acts 1:14). On the first day of the upcoming Easter season, we look to the last day of the Easter season, Pentecost. In Lent and in life, let us live in and for the Holy Spirit. Let us pray: Come, Holy Spirit!

Prayer: Father, make me docile to the Holy Spirit. Teach me to pray in the Spirit.

Promise: “Nor do I condemn you. You may go. But from now on, avoid this sin.” —Jn 8:11

Praise: St. John, who taught, “Be driven by the love of God,” spent long periods in prayer and ministered with special care to the poor and handicapped.

Lenten Reflections

Monday, Fifth Week of Lent

"Nor do I condemn you. You may go." (John 8:11)

Reflection.

Forgiveness, in its truest and highest form, is a free act of
love. But precisely because it is an act of love, it has its own
intrinsic demands: the first of which is <respect for the truth>.
God alone is absolute truth. But He made the human heart open to the desire for truth, which He then fully revealed in His
Incarnate Son. <Hence we are all called to live the truth> .... Pope John Paul II

Lenten Fact.

In 1342, the Franciscans were appointed as guardians of the shrines of the Holy Land. The faithful received indulgences for praying at the following stations: At Pilate's house, where Christ met His mother, where He spoke to the women, where He met Simon of Cyrene, where the soldiers stripped Him of His garments, where He was nailed to the cross, and at His tomb.

Lenten Action.

Spend the day fasting from consumerism.

Prayer.

Ever-living God, help us to celebrate our joy in the resurrection of the Lord and to express in our lives the love we celebrate.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.

Stations Of The Cross

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