Where Do I Stand in the Story?

Readings Here

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62 · Psalm 23 · John 8:1-11

The first reading today tells a dramatic story.

Two respected elders become obsessed with a beautiful woman named Susanna.

They approach her.

They threaten her.

“Give in to us or we will accuse you.”

In their society such an accusation could mean death.

The story feels ancient.

But the pattern is not.

Power. Desire. Threat. False accusation.

You could easily imagine those two men appearing in modern headlines.

But before we rush to judge them, remember something important.

It is a story.

Stories are told not just to describe events

but to hold a mirror to us.

Susanna faces an impossible choice.

Immorality or death.

She chooses integrity.

“Better for me to fall into your hands than to sin before God.”

It is an astonishing decision.

But it raises an uncomfortable question.

What would I do?

Would I have the courage of Susanna?

Or would I compromise to save myself?

Then another figure appears.

A young man named Daniel.

He refuses to accept the accusation.

He asks questions.

He exposes the lie.

Again the story asks us:

Would I speak up?

When someone is falsely accused,

do I stay silent

or do I risk standing with the innocent?

Then the Gospel presents the same drama again.

Another woman.

Another accusation.

Another crowd ready to condemn.

This time the religious leaders want to trap Jesus.

They bring the woman into the temple courtyard.

They quote the law.

They prepare the stones.

And Jesus says:

“Let the one without sin throw the first stone.”

Suddenly no one throws anything.

The accusers disappear.

So the story leaves us with four possibilities.

We can be like the elders who abuse power.

We can be like the crowd who join the accusation.

We can be like Susanna, refusing to betray what is right.