Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Lectionary: 251
Lectionary: 251
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.
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.
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.
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
PsalmPS 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.
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.
Verse Before
The GospelEZ 33:11
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.
GospelJN 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.
“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.
(if
Year A readings are used on the Fifth Sunday of Lent)
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.”
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.”
Meditation: "Whoever follows me
will not walk in darkness"
When
accusations are brought against you, how do you respond and where do you turn
for help? The Book of Daniel tells the story of Susanna, a godly woman who
loved God and his word. She was unjustly accused of adultery by two elder
judges who had tried to seduce her. Since adultery was a serious offense
punishable by stoning to death, the law of Moses required at least two
witnesses, rather than one, to convict a person. Susanna knew she had no hope
of clearing her good reputation and escaping death apart from God's merciful
intervention. Daniel tells us that she looked up to heaven and cried out to the
Lord for his help (Daniel 13:35). The two elders who wanted to sin with her had
done just the opposite – they hid themselves from God's sight and they kept
their secret sin hidden from the people as well. They brought false charges
against her in revenge for her refusal to sin with them. God in his mercy heard
the plea of Susanna and he punished the two elders for giving false witness.
Unjust
accusations against Jesus
The Gospel accounts describe how Jesus had to face unjust accusations made by the Pharisees, the ruling elders of Israel. They were upset with Jesus' teaching and his healing on the Sabbath. They plotted what charges they might bring against him in order to arrest him and bring him to trial. They wanted to not only silence him, but put him to death for his claim to be the Messiah. They accused him of blasphemy because he claimed that have authority equal with God.
The Gospel accounts describe how Jesus had to face unjust accusations made by the Pharisees, the ruling elders of Israel. They were upset with Jesus' teaching and his healing on the Sabbath. They plotted what charges they might bring against him in order to arrest him and bring him to trial. They wanted to not only silence him, but put him to death for his claim to be the Messiah. They accused him of blasphemy because he claimed that have authority equal with God.
In
chapter 8 of John's Gospel, we hear the account where Jesus publicly proclaims
in the Temple at Jerusalem that he is the "light of the world" (John
8:12). Jesus spoke these words around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles,
also known as the Festival of Lights. This statement must have made a striking
impression on the Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem for the occasion. For
eight nights the great candelabras which stood in the Temple courtyard lit the
Jerusalem skyline with a blaze of dazzeling light. Jesus' statement very likely
came at the end of the Festival when the great lights where extinguished. In so
many words, Jesus says he is the one true light which no one can extinguish or
diminish (see John 1:4-5). He is the true light not only for God's chosen
people Israel, but for all peoples and nations as well.
Many
of the scribes and Pharisees reacted with shock and disbelief when they heard
Jesus describe himself as light of the world and light
of life (John 8:12). In the Gospel of John we hear seven
"I am" statements from the lips of Jesus: "I am the Bread of
Life" (John 6:35), "I am the light of the world"
(John 8:12), "I am the Gate" (John 10:9), "I am the
Good Shepherd" (John 10:11), "I am the Resurrection and
the Life" (John 11:25), "I am the Way, the Truth, and the
Life" (John 14:6), and "I am the Vine" (John
15:5). Jesus also emphatically stated, "Truly I say to you, before Abraham
was, I am" (John 8:58). When Moses asked God to reveal his
name. God responded by saying, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus
3:13-14). When the Pharisees heard Jesus says "I am the
light", they clearly understood that Jesus was making a claim which only
God could make. The word light in Scripture was especially
associated with God. The Lord is my light (Psalm 27:1). The Lord will
be your everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19). When I sit in darkness, the Lord will
be a light to me (Micah 7:8).
The
scribes and Pharisees demanded that Jesus produce signs and witnesses to prove
his claim. But the testimony and signs which Jesus gave did not satisfy the
religious rulers because they had already determined in their own minds that he
needed to be eliminated since his teaching did not agree with their own view
and interpretation of the law of Moses (John 5:39-46). Their judgment was based
on wrong assumptions and an evil intention to put Jesus to death. Jesus stated
that his authority was not based on human knowledge and perception but on the
knowledge and revelation which came from God. Jesus' rightfully claimed that
his authority came from his heavenly Father (John 5:19,21,26-27,36; John 8:28).
No one could do the mighty works which he did and speak with such authority
unless it had been given to him by the Father.
The
light Jesus came to give us
What did Jesus mean by the expression I am the light of the world and light of life (John 8:12)? The light Jesus came to give is the light of God's revelation – his beauty, truth, wisdom, and power. God's light exposes the darkness of sin which is often hidden and sometimes even unknown to us. His light brings healing, pardon, and restoration as well – freeing us from the burden of guilt and the scars of sin's effect on us, physically, spirititually, and emotionally. We need God's penetrating light to shine into our innermost being so he can remove wrong patterns of thoughts, attitudes, and hurtful desires. Sin clouds our vision of what is good and right and leads us down the wrong path. God's light shows us the way that leads to peace, joy, and true happiness and fulfillment. The light which the Lord Jesus offers produces in us abundant life and great fruitfulness. Just as natural life depends on light for energy, warmth, and growth (without it nothing could live or grow), so the light of heaven produces abundant and fruitful spiritual life for those who receive it. The light which Jesus gives enables us to walk freely and confidently without stumbling in the darkness of sin and unbelief. His light warms our heart to the truth of God's love and it opens our vision to the reality of God's kingdom. Do you walk confidently in the light of God's truth and love?
What did Jesus mean by the expression I am the light of the world and light of life (John 8:12)? The light Jesus came to give is the light of God's revelation – his beauty, truth, wisdom, and power. God's light exposes the darkness of sin which is often hidden and sometimes even unknown to us. His light brings healing, pardon, and restoration as well – freeing us from the burden of guilt and the scars of sin's effect on us, physically, spirititually, and emotionally. We need God's penetrating light to shine into our innermost being so he can remove wrong patterns of thoughts, attitudes, and hurtful desires. Sin clouds our vision of what is good and right and leads us down the wrong path. God's light shows us the way that leads to peace, joy, and true happiness and fulfillment. The light which the Lord Jesus offers produces in us abundant life and great fruitfulness. Just as natural life depends on light for energy, warmth, and growth (without it nothing could live or grow), so the light of heaven produces abundant and fruitful spiritual life for those who receive it. The light which Jesus gives enables us to walk freely and confidently without stumbling in the darkness of sin and unbelief. His light warms our heart to the truth of God's love and it opens our vision to the reality of God's kingdom. Do you walk confidently in the light of God's truth and love?
"O
gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek
you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon
you, and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus
Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Saint Benedict of Nursia, 480-547 AD)
MONDAY, MARCH 14, JOHN
8:12-20
Lenten Weekday
(Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17,19-30, 33-62; Psalm 23)
Lenten Weekday
(Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17,19-30, 33-62; Psalm 23)
KEY VERSE: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (v 12).
TO KNOW: On the first night of the feast of Tabernacles, a ceremony was held in the temple in which four great torches were set ablaze in the darkness. Jesus was teaching in the temple during the celebration, and he loudly announced that he was the "light of the world." When referring to himself Jesus used the divine name of God "I Am" (ego eimi). The Pharisees reacted with hostility declaring that such a claim could not be verified without witnesses. Jesus asserted that his own witness was enough, but he had another witness, the Father who sent him, the One whom they did not know. The light from the torches would flicker and die, but those who followed Jesus would not walk in darkness. They would possess the eternal "light of life" (v 12).
TO LOVE: Am I a source of light for those in darkness?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, illuminate my life with your divine light.
Monday March 14 2016
Mon
14th. Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62. Though I walk in the valley of
darkness I fear no evil, for you are with me—Ps 22(23). John 8:12-20.
Prophets
speaking truth.
Throughout
the Scriptures, we see young people speaking words of wisdom beyond their
years, as an example of God’s Spirit in the world. In today’s rather long
reading from Daniel, we see the innocent Susanna spared from death through the
wise words and deeds of the young Daniel. The elders recognise the prophetic
truth of Daniel’s advocacy for Susanna, which sets the scene for Daniel’s later
actions. ‘I am the light of the world’, says Jesus. Throughout his ministry,
Jesus has a habit of making short, bold statements about himself. To those who
refuse to believe, his words sound like boastful utterances. To those who
believe, however, his words give us hope. At those times in our lives when all
seems dark, may we remember to turn to Jesus, the light of the world.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Instrument of Peace
|
Following the Lord, it is our prayer to become instruments of
peace in our world so that we might indeed live in such a way that paradise
might arrive and your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.
March
14
St. Maximilian
(d. 295)
St. Maximilian
(d. 295)
We have an early, precious, almost
unembellished account of the martyrdom of St. Maximilian in modern-day Algeria.
Brought before the proconsul Dion, Maximilian refused
enlistment in the Roman army saying, "I cannot serve, I cannot do evil. I
am a Christian."
Dion replied: "You must serve or die."
Maximilian: "I will never serve. You can cut off
my head, but I will not be a soldier of this world, for I am a soldier of
Christ. My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this world. I tell
you I am a Christian."
Dion: "There are Christian soldiers serving our
rulers Diocletian and Maximian, Constantius and Galerius."
Maximilian: "That is their business. I also am a
Christian, and I cannot serve."
Dion: "But what harm do soldiers do?"
Maximilian: "You know well enough."
Dion: "If you will not do your service I shall
condemn you to death for contempt of the army."
Maximilian: "I shall not die. If I go from this earth,
my soul will live with Christ my Lord."
Maximilian was 21 years old when he gladly offered his
life to God. His father went home from the execution site joyful, thanking God
that he had been able to offer heaven such a gift.
LECTIO DIVINA JOHN 8,12-20
Lectio Divina:
Monday, March 14, 2016
1) OPENING PRAYER
O God, by whose wondrous grace
we are enriched with every blessing,
grant us so to pass from former ways to newness of life,
that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly Kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
we are enriched with every blessing,
grant us so to pass from former ways to newness of life,
that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly Kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN 8, 12-20
Jesus spoke again to the people, he
said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you
are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my
own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am
going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by
human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are
true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own
Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who
testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
Then they asked him, “Where is your
father?”
“You do not know me or my Father,”
Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these
words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings
were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
3) REFLECTION
Anyone who follows me will not be
walking in the dark
The Lord Jesus, the glorious presence,
that fills the temple of God, in Jerusalem, is offering to his listeners his
great and mysterious teaching about the Way that is to be followed, the road
that has to be travelled towards salvation. This passage, we note, opens with
the verb, “to follow”, and the whole of Chapter 8 is marked by the verb “to go
out”, referring to Jesus.
Thus, we can understand that the Word of
the Lord wishes to invite us to travel the road of salvation towards the Light,
following in the footsteps of Jesus, who, like the Shekinah, leaves
the temple, (Jn 8:59 and Ezek 10:18), to go and live in a tent along with the
refugees of all time, to live in the bosom of the Father.
This is precisely the route of the
pathway of light that Jesus invites to take, along with him, from the temple to
the Father.
Let us see, what steps the Word of the
Gospels indicates to us.
You are testifying on your own behalf
...
This is just the first in a long series
of seven occurrences of the word “testimony” along with the corresponding verb,
“to testify”: a strong and very important key word which brings up a
fundamental aspect of Hebrew law, given that a witness is a central and
indispensable figure in the law of the people of Israel. There is something
more: The word witness, in Hebrew, ‘ed, is underlined in that bible
passage, which constitutes Israel’s most essential and vital profession of
faith as we find it in the Shemah, in Dt 6:4. It is underlined
because in the Hebrew bibles this verse is written in a particular way, i.e.,
the final syllable of the first word, the verb,shemah, listen, and the
final syllable of the last word, the adjectiveechad, one, written in
bigger letters than the rest. These two final letters, the ‘ayin and
the dalet, united together form the word “witness”, ‘ed.
In this passage of the Gospel, we find
ourselves facing a unique and unmistakable starting point: our journey towards
the Father, together with Jesus, can only begin from our witness, from our
believing lovingly and firmly in God, as the one God, and the one and only
Lord. This is the witness given by Jesus. This is Jesus’ cry, right there in
the temple of Jerusalem, a cry that will tear through our night, through our
unbelief.
In questo brano del Vangelo, allora, noi
siamo posti davanti a un punto di partenza inequivocabile, insostituibile: il
nostro cammino verso il Padre, insieme a Gesù, non può che iniziare dalla
nostra testimonianza, dal nostro credere amoroso e certo in Dio, quale unico e
solo Dio, quale unico e solo nostro Signore. Questa è la testimonianza data da
Gesù. Questo è il grido di Gesù, proprio là, nel tempio di Gerusalemme. Un
grido che vuole squarciare la nostra notte, la nostra incredulità.
I know where I came from and where I am
going ...
Jesus clearly knows the point of
departure and the point of arrival of this journey of ours, through the night
and towards the light. The two points, in fact, coincide, because both of them
are in the Father, but for us, we have to look for them, identify them and make
them ours.
Many times in the Gospel of John, we
hear Jesus make the statement that the Father sent him (Jn 5, 37; 6, 44; 7, 28;
12, 49, as well as what we find in this chapter 8). The Father is his
beginning, the secret place of his movement towards the world.
This very striking question concerning
the origin of Christ stays alive always, always open, and apparently with no
answer: Where do you come from? (Jn 19:9), as we hear it on the lips of
Pilate.
Jesus revealed to us where he came from,
but our hearts continue to seek, to want to find this beginning, this place in
which we can too can be truly reborn, have our own beginning.
In the same way Jesus reveals the
mystery of his own exodus. He tells us about the point of arrival of his
journey in this world. He says, “I am going to the Father” (Jn 16:10).
Thus we have all the necessary
coordinates for our journey: from the Father to the Father, in the same way
that it was for Jesus.
Where is your Father?
This prayer, this searching of the
heart, has to remain alive in us: it must never be quenched, and never be
wanting. This is the thirst that has to guide us, drive us on our journey, make
our hearts burn, in communion with the Lord Jesus. He is the living face of the
Father.
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
- Do I have a desire to follow
Jesus? and Do I want to begin it now?
- Am I ready to give myself to
bear witness like Jesus?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
(Psalm 41)
Like the dear that yearns for running
streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life, when can I enter and see the face of God?
My tears have become my bread, by night, by day: as I hear it said all day long, “Where is your God?”
These things will I remember as I pour out my soul: how I would lead the rejoicing crowd into the house of God, amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving, the throng wild with joy.
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life, when can I enter and see the face of God?
My tears have become my bread, by night, by day: as I hear it said all day long, “Where is your God?”
These things will I remember as I pour out my soul: how I would lead the rejoicing crowd into the house of God, amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving, the throng wild with joy.
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