COLLECT: “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. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Dan 13:1-9,15-17, 19-30,33-62, or 13:41c-62; Ps 22:1-6 and Jn 8:1-11
Today’s readings present to us two women (Susanna in the first reading, and the anonymous woman in the Gospel) condemned to death for adultery; one, in a way, justly, and the other one unjustly. After the judgment of Daniel, the assembly blesses God who saves those who hope in him. In both readings, the Lord is seen as more concerned with mercy than justice.
In both stories, the perpetrators already disregarded the Law of Moses given to the Jews, by arresting the women without the men they (so-called) committed adultery with. The law required both parties (man and woman) to adultery to be stoned to death (Cf. Lev 20:10 and Deut 22:22). In the case of the woman in the Gospel, the people used her as a trick to trap Jesus. If Jesus said the woman should not be stoned, they would accuse him of violating Moses’ law. If he urged them to stone her, they would report him to the Romans, who did not permit the Jews to carry out their own executions (Cf. Jn 18:31). In the case of Susanna in the passage of Daniel, the perpetrators were simply wicked, malicious and evil.
They planned to defile this woman but because she did not agree, they concocted an unbelievable lie about her. Once again, in both stories however, the Lord is seen as more concerned with mercy than justice. This is beautifully expressed in a Dagaaba adage that: “Ba mang page la bine kye di dori” (Lit. People cover/hide the excreta to eat dawadawa”). Yes, God knows both women committed the sins of adultery (if it was really so at all) and must be condemned, but he handled them as human beings with respect and dignity, like every other person being created in the image and likeness of God. Yes, as the Light of the world, Jesus shows us, by the way he handles the issue of the adulterous woman, how to live and act as children of the Light.
These two readings have a lot to teach us, especially cultures that have similar practices and customs like the Jews. In a lot of African cultures, men do not commit adultery. In most of the adultery cases, only the woman is caught and once she is caught, she is humiliated, molested, disgraced and maltreated. In most cases, even if the man is caught or known, he is given no punishment or less. In most cultures, it is taken for granted that men have the right to commit adultery or to carry out immoral activities outside their marital life. The woman is the only one who has no right to do that. Is it not proper that what is good for and applicable to A, should be the same for/to B? When should these cultures see the need to alleviate women from this seemingly slavery and discrimination?
It is high time such cultures learned to handle and treat women with respect and dignity. We also need to be merciful like the Lord in our dealings with people, especially the weak and the vulnerable (women in particular), rather than using the law as a measure. It is also true that some of us who are in authority, including family men, sometimes twist the law to suit us. This is an act of darkness. Please, desist from it.
May we learn today not to condemn anyone, for we are all sinners in this world who need God’s mercy, love and forgiveness. May we learn to identify and acknowledge our own sinfulness and humbly come to the Lord for his forgiveness and merciful love. May Saint Turibius intercede for us. . Stay blessed and happy feast to all who bear the name Turibius.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, MONDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY IN SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “STRENGTHENED BY THE BLESSING OF YOUR SACRAMENTS, WE PRAY, O LORD, THAT THROUGH THEM WE MAY CONSTANTLY BE CLEANSED OF OUR FAULTS AND, BY FOLLOWING CHRIST, HASTEN OUR STEPS UPWARD TOWARD YOU. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com
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