Forgiveness Trumps

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer insight into the devious heart which overwhelms our actions when our self serving passions arise. Susanna, in the episode from the Book of Daniel, is apparently trapped by the evil elder judges into conviction for a crime she did not commit. The practice of Daniel to focus on methodical examination of detail in the stories of the liars is an effective method to uncover deceit. The lies in our stories are uncovered by the patient inquiry. Persecution by enemies is not excluded for believers. The verses of the 23^rd Psalm are most comforting when walking in the ‘valley of the Shadow of Death’. The trust of the believer is that the intimate banquet with the Divine in face of our persecutors is always possible. The invitation is presented to those who persecute to join us in our communion with the Divine. John relates the attempt of the religious authorities to trap Jesus in a charge of disobedience to the Law of Moses. The triumph of ‘group think’ when people assemble in a mob to “seek justice” is often the tragic consequence of the type of gathering which occurs in the Gospel. Jesus shows the seeking of the calm and inspiration of His relationship with the Father. The review of the situation in the ‘eyes of Love’ offers the challenge to the gathered ‘righteous’ to cast the first stone if they were without sin. The dialogue of Jesus with the woman indicates that she too was ‘not without sin’. The relationship with God brought to this situation places forgiveness first. This is so difficult and so needed.