The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 14, 2005
Monday of Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from Today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,16-30,33-62
Psalm 23:1-6
John 8:1-11

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's readings we see the accusation of two women. In the Old Testament reading, Susanna is unjustly accused and is sentenced to death. She is the victim of powerful men and stands little chance of being vindicated, yet she cries to God for help and eventually is found innocent.

In the New Testament reading, we hear about a woman who is guilty and by law is consigned to stoning. Unlike Susanna, according to what was told in the story, she didn't cry out to God for help. Even so, her accusers slunk away, one by one, when Jesus exposes their own sinfulness.

The stories are very different, yet they speak to us something about God's justice. First of all, the Lord hears the cry of the wrongly accused; and secondly, even when guilty, the Lord deals mercifully, not dismissing the seriousness of sin, but providing the sinner with the opportunity to repent and mend their ways.

With God's grace may we imitate Jesus by defending the innocent, remembering that all of us are sinners and in need of forgiveness and mercy.

"Neither do I condemn you. Go now and sin no more." (John 8:11)

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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posted by joachim at 4:49 AM