MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I take pleasure, not in the death of a wicked man
– it is the Lord who speaks –
but in the turning back of a wicked man
who changes his ways to win life. EZ 33:11

DANIEL 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

All too often we allow our senses to enslave us and are prepared to descend into the depths of darkness in order to gratify these desires. These lecherous, shameless elders are prepared to destroy the reputation of an innocent and virtuous woman because she resists them and refuses to be bullied into submission. When they accuse her and threaten to destroy her with false accusations she refuses to allow fear of death to overpower her fear of God. She would rather die innocent than live with a stained conscience. It is the way of the world for those who are rich, powerful, and influential, but lack the fear of the Lord who shamelessly and wantonly wields that power to trap, coerce, subjugate, and render helpless the weak and the poor. 

Very rarely will a Daniel stand up against the status quo, risking all to challenge those whom the world panders and kowtows to. But Daniel also teaches us that if we are filled by the Holy Spirit and we allow the Spirit of God to reign in us giving Him total autonomy over us, we like Daniel will be a force for great good in the world.   

Susanna, a woman of great courage chose to place all her trust in God. She chose to die rather than to sin and God came to her rescue through the young Daniel. He refused to remain silent in the face of the treachery of two evil and godless old judges who were prepared to commit murder because a virtuous woman refused to allow fear to destroy her immortal soul.

O Lord, our God, grant us the grace to never permit fear, anxiety, and distress to possess us to such a degree that we fail to put all our hope and trust in You. Victory belongs to those who call on Your Name with faith, hope, and trust. 

PSALM 22(23) ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I thank You for the comfort that this psalm always brings to those who are walking in the valley of tribulation. You are my Shepherd and because I am the sheep of Your flock I shall not want. You are beside me to lead, guide, protect, feed, care for, and minister to me in every situation. 

Thank You for this blessed assurance that I can lie in peace and in safety knowing that You will never leave me or forsake me because You have carved me on the palm of Your hand.

Thank You for loving me infinitely and unconditionally. I am all Yours now and forever.

JOHN 8:1-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The scribes and the Pharisees who brought before You the woman caught committing adultery were blinded by their all-consuming hatred of You. They were pitiless in shaming and humiliating the poor woman just so they could trap You. They were certain that they finally had You on the horns of a dilemma either You would uphold the law and render all Your teaching on mercy meaningless or You would condemn Yourself publicly by rejecting the Law of Moses which clearly indicated that such a woman be stoned to death. 

Aware of the malice against You smoldering in their hearts You bent down to write on the ground with Your finger. Your enemies who surrounded You were clueless that this is the finger of God that wrote the commandments on the tablets of stone that were given to Moses. When they persisted in badgering You, You looked up at them gravely and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And You continue to casually write on the ground seemingly unaware of the murderous crowd clamoring around You. 

The evangelist reveals the dramatic events that follow when they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. A few moments later after each person in the crowd had shuffled away beginning with the oldest the woman finds herself alone with You only then You look up, and addressing the woman softly and tenderly You say, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ There is that beautiful word by which You address her, 'woman', it is the same word that You also use to address Your Mother in significant moments conferring on her the full dignity of what that word represents. And then You add healing salve to her wounds when in response to Your query she says, ‘No one, sir’ and she is healed completely in every way when You reply, ‘Neither do I condemn you, go away and do not sin any more.’

Thank You, Lord, for instituting the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation where every repentant sinner is given an opportunity to begin anew.