＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62

There lived in Babylon a man named Joakim,

Who was married to a very beautiful God-fearing woman, Susanna, Hikiah’s daughter, whose pious parents had trained her in the law of Moses. A very rich man and greatly respected by all the Jews, Joakim was frequently visited by the Jews in his house adjoining a garden.(…)

Susanna would go into her husband’s garden for a walk. The two old men began to lust for her as they watched her enter the garden every day.(…..)

One day, as they were waiting for an opportune time, Susanna entered the garden as usual with only two maids. She decided to bathe, for it was a hot day. Nobody else was there except the two elders watching her from where they had hidden themselves.(….)

Susanna was condemned to death. She cried aloud, “Eternal God, nothing is hidden from you; you know all things before they come to be. You know that these men have testified falsely against me. Would you let me die, though I am not guilty of all their malicious charges?”

The Lord heard her, and as she was being led to her execution, God aroused the holy spirit residing in a young lad named Daniel. He shouted, “I will have no part in the death of this woman!”(….)

 

Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 8:1-11

 As for Jesus, he went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak Jesus appeared in the Tem­ple again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.  Then the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone.

 “Master,” they said, “this wo­man has been caught in the act of adultery. Now the Law of Moses orders that such women be stoned to death; but you, what do you say?” They said this to test Jesus, in order to have some charge against him.

Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. And as they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who has no sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And he bent down again, writing on the ground.

 As a result of these words, they went away, one by one, starting with the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Then Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I con­demn you; go away and don’t sin again.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

It is sad that sometimes we use the laws of our faith not to lead people to good but to oppress and bring them to their downfall. This manipulation of laws ordered towards the good of humankind is a great disservice to God.

Take for example our gospel today. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees want to punish the adulterous woman while at the same time compromising the Lord. If He consents to the punishment of the woman, He runs counter to His message of love.

If He allows the woman to go scot free, He violates the Law of their faith. What is at trial here is not Jesus but love. And it was love that saves the day. Jesus asks the people to evaluate themselves if they are truly righteous and go ahead and punish the woman.

He brough them to confront themselves. That is why, one by one they left. The sinful woman is a miniature of each and every one of them. This solidarity in sinning is what brought them back to their senses. If they condemn the woman, they are condemning themselves.