The first reading is an addition from a later period to the Book of Daniel. Probably, Shushanna (Lily) stands for faithful Israel. And so, in the form of an allegorical tale the story comments on the faithfulness of the pious Jews to Yahweh, notwithstanding corruption among (some of) the leaders. This popular tale was a warning against adultery, false witnessing and abuse of power, and an appeal for faithfulness in faith and marriage. In any case, the false accusers of the innocents are condemned by themselves.
Jesus’ words are not unsubstantiated assertions by Jesus alone, for the Father bears witness to him by letting him do wonderful deeds. Just look at the words and actions of Jesus and you know that God stands behind all what he says and does.
Reading: Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62
The people assembled believed the two men; after all, they were respected seniors in the community and judges to boot. What else could the crowd do but condemn Suzanna to death?
Susanna, however, raised a prayer in a confident voice:
“Eternal God, you who know all secrets, who knew everything before it was something, you know these men have brought false testimony against me. It is the law that I must die if I did what they claim, but I’ve done none of the things they accuse me of. They made it all up!”
The Lord heard her cry. As they were leading Susanna away to her execution, God strengthened the spirit of a young man, a junior prophet if you will; his name was Daniel.
Daniel stepped in front of the crowd and spoke up: “I will not be a party to her death.”
The crowd answered him: “What are you saying?” He stood his ground in their midst.
“People of the house of Israel, how unjust can you be? What evidence did the two accusers actually present? Has anybody corroborated their charges? Are you willing to condemn a faithful daughter of Israel without proof of her guilt? Reopen the case, and you’ll find that the testimony of the two accusers against her is tainted.”
The people were convinced enough to return to the court, along with Susanna, her supporters, and the two prosecutors. The crowd said to daniel: “Come, sit in our midst, young man, and tell us what you know. God seems to have given youth the wisdom that usually comes with age.”
“Separate the two accusers from each other,” directed daniel, “and I’ll interrogate them one at a time in front of you.”
They put the two men in different rooms where they could not hear the other’s testimony. daniel then questioned the first one.
“You veteran old sinner, your sins have come back to haunt you. You’ve churned out unjust judgments; you’ve oppressed the poor; you’ve freed the guilty. All the while you quoted what the Lord has commanded: ‘don’t sen- tence the innocent and just to death!’
“Now, more to the point, if you did indeed see Susanna committing adultery, tell us—precisely—where you and your partner in crime were standing in the garden when you supposedly saw her and her lover together.”
“Behind a small gum tree,” the man responded, beads of sweat starting to form on his upper lip.
“You’re lying through your teeth,” Daniel said. “Behold the angel of the Lord! Once your sentence has been rendered by God, the angel will cut you in two with one swift stroke!”
That judge was taken out of the room, and the other one brought in. dan- iel spoke first.
“Are you really a Jew? Your actions seem more like those of a Canaanite to me. Beauty has tempted you; lust has led you to sin. You’re not used to being refused by daughters of Israel, are you? You intimidate them with threats and insults, then steal their virtue.
“Now, more to the point, answer me this: What tree—precisely—were you and your partner in crime standing behind when you supposedly saw the young man whispering sweet nothings into Susanna’s ear?”
“Behind a large oak tree,” the man said, his eyes darting around the room.
“You’re lying through your teeth,” Daniel said. “The angel of God with sword in hand is waiting, ready to separate your top from your bottom, and that will be the end of you.”
The congregation let out a shout, blessing the God who always saves those who put their hope in him. They rose up against the two judges. Daniel had convinced them that both had given false testimony under oath. Their punishment would be the same as the one they had pronounced against Susanna: according to the Law of Moses, they had to be stoned to death. And so it happened. Innocent blood was spared that day, but guilty blood was not.
Hilkiah and his wife praised the Lord for their daughter Susanna, who had her reputation restored, along with that of her husband Joakim and their relatives, thanks to the budding prophet.
Daniel’s reputation rose in the eyes of the people on that day, and it remained so for the rest of his life.
Gospel: John 8:12-20
Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”
The Pharisees objected, “All we have is your word on this. We need more than this to go on.”
Jesus replied, “You’re right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I’ve come from and where I go next. You don’t know where I’m from or where I’m headed. You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don’t make judgments like that. But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn’t make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father. That fulfills the conditions set down in God’s Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses. And that is what you have: You have my word and you have the word of the Father who sent me.”
They said, “Where is this so-called Father of yours?”
Jesus said, “You’re looking right at me and you don’t see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father.”
He gave this speech in the Treasury while teaching in the Temple. No one arrested him because his time wasn’t yet up.
Prayer
Just and merciful God,
you take pity even on sinners
and you continue with them
a dialogue of grace and hope.
Help us never to condemn,
never to give up on people,
but to be patient, understanding and forgiving,
together with you and Jesus, your Son,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever. Amen.