Handiwork of the Devil

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

~~~ Psalm 23 ~~~ John 8:1-11 ~~~

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; 

for you are at my side.

The two stories from these readings

 so beautifully complement one another.

The first reading features Susanna, 

who was wrongfully accused of adultery.

Her accusers were ready to pick up their stones 

and pummel her to death with them.

She was definitely plunged into the dark valley.

Two men came forward claiming they had seen 

her in the garden with another man. 

Ultimately they were proven to be lying

when questioned by Daniel

 by their own conflicting information.

If you decide to lie you risk the power of truth.

If you lie you eventually erode more

 and more good from your heart. 

These two accusers lost touch with how their lies 

would impact their own lives.

God came to the side of Susanna;

she was found innocent.

Deception is always the handiwork of the devil.
Deception by design masks truth and beauty.

Deception is like taking a black marker and scribbling
 on something that would otherwise be clear.

The gospel brings us the woman caught in adultery.
She is thrown down into the dirt right at the feet of Jesus.
These accusers claim to have caught her in the act.

While we know their goal was to trick Jesus
we do not know if they were hiding half of the truth.

What if they set up this woman?
Could they have paid a man to seduce her
for the prime purpose of catching her in the 'act'? 

Unlike Susanna this nameless woman
was brought directly to Jesus.
He was to be her judge.
He was the one who would pass the
judgement for her to be stoned.

Her accusers were not expecting Jesus
 to turn the tables on them.

Instead giving the green light for this poor woman
 to be stoned to death he writes in the sand.

Whatever Jesus wrote in the sand that day resulted
in the elders quickly and quietly turning away.

Suddenly they no longer wanted
to stick around for the customary stoning.

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; 

for you are at my side.

This woman too was walking in the dark valley.
She too feared for her life as she knelt in the dirt.
She trembled with anticipation of the
first stone to pelt her bare skin.

Instead she heard the voice of Jesus...
"Let the one among you who is without sin 
be the first to throw a stone at her."

Who among you is without sin?

As we approach Holy Week I invite you to take
one last examination of conscience.

Maybe you can hold a stone and meditate
on the words of Jesus from this Gospel.

Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more."

From now on do not sin any more...
it is never too late to begin again.
Jesus offers words of mercy and encouragement.

Jesus walks in the dark valley with you.
He is slow to anger abundant in grace.
You are never alone.

~~~Peace~~~

Truth or Silence

~~~ Deuteronomy 13:41C-62~~~ Psalm 23 ~~~

~~~ John 8:12-20 ~~~

“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.” 

God sheds light where darkness prevails...
Susanna was sentenced to death
after two men lied about the facts.

Daniel, inspired by God,
had the men questioned separately.
He suspected that their individual stories would be different.
Both men had stories that contradicted each other.

Daniel shows how the light of the truth
saves those who hope in the Lord.

The two who lied about Susanna were they
themselves sentenced to death.

The light of life over shadows the darkness of lies.
Lies do not support life, it is in truth that life survives.

...even if I should judge, my judgment is valid,
because I am not alone,
but it is I and the Father who sent me.

In our court rooms today we have testimonies
 from witness stories that often do not match.

It is the duty of the jury to make a decision
based on the testimonies heard.

Jesus does not struggle with who is telling the truth
because his insight is validated by God the Father.

The Light sees through lies...
The Light invites us out of the darkness.

No one can testify on behalf of Jesus
except the Father.
The elders were bothered because
 they could not verify the testimony of Jesus

Blessed always in the truth.

Choose to speak words of truth
or opt for silence.

~~~Peace~~~

Accused...Convicted...Saved

~~~ Daniel 13:41c-62 or 13:1-19, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 ~~~

~~~ Psalm 23 ~~ John 8:1-11 ~~~

Crime and Punishment...

The prophet Daniel takes up the defense of Susanna

 and saves her from wrongful death. 

Two evil elders bring false allegations against Susanna

because she refuses to enter into sin with them.

They were overcome with the thoughts of lust, adultery 

and finally lies and murder.

Daniel has the wisdom to trap them in their own lies.

 After getting two different answers to the same question

he is able to determine they were lying.

Susanna chose death rather then participating in their sin.

She prayed that God would intervene, which he did.

The Lord heard her prayer.
As she was being led to execution

Even though Susanna was walking in the dark valley

she did not fear. She was confident that God was by her side.

She is an example of the conviction of trusting in God's care.

In the gospel we also see a woman accused by the elders.

In this case the woman is probably guilty, although 

we do not know the circumstances.

Both stories involve alleged crimes of lust and passion.

The woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus.

The elders were more interested in how Jesus would handle

 this woman than whether or not she was guilty.

The sentence, if convicted, for adultery was stoning.

Jesus brilliantly turned the tables on the accusers.

The woman was thrown to the ground at the feet of Jesus.

The crowd gathered round to witness her judgment 

and subsequent stoning.

But Jesus quietly bends down and begins to draw/write in the dirt.

This is the only time we see him writing.

We do not know what he wrote or why he took this action.

Whatever the elders saw on the ground 

it was sufficient to make them 

turn away one by one beginning with the elders.

Did he write their sins?

Did he write their names?

Whatever he revealed must have been hidden in their hearts.

No one remained.

Not one person was left to cast the stones.

Jesus gave them the opportunity to cast the stones,

but for whatever reason they walked away.

Jesus had this uncanny ability to see deep into the hearts of others.

Remember the Samaritan woman at the well,

he told her all of her past sins.

Jesus knows what we try to hide within our hearts,

but he does not condemn us with this knowledge.

Instead he forgives us and wants us to come closer to him.

God may be judge and jury,

but he is also mercy and love.

His love for us supersedes the punishment

 we just might deserve.

Does this mean that we can do whatever we want?

No. Perfect justice lies with the Lord.

Susanna was innocent and God intervened.

The adulterous woman was probably guilty and God intervened.

When will we believe that God really is on our side?

He has shown that the prestige of old age is not the deciding factor.

The elders in both passages were less than exemplary people

in today's Scriptures.

If we turn to God he can make all things work out for good.

He will make all things right.

We must trust in his love and mercy for us.

God does not want to condemn us.

Sometimes he allows us to condemn ourselves,

but even then we have the choice to return to him.

He will never turn his back on us.

He will never walk away.

We are blessed to have a God who comes to our defense.

A God who sees into the depths of our heart

and still loves us.

Peace.