MONDAY 22 MARCH 2021 FIRST READING "Here I am going to die, without having done any of this" Reading from the book of the prophet Daniel (13, 1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62)

MONDAY 22 MARCH 2021 

FIRST READING 

"Here I am going to die, without having done any of this" 

Reading from the book of the prophet Daniel (13, 1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62) 

In those days there was an inhabitant of Babylon named Joakim. He had married a woman named Suzanne, daughter of Helkias. She was very beautiful and feared the Lord. Her parents were righteous, and they had brought up their daughter according to the law of Moses. Joakim was very rich, and he had a garden near his house; Jews flocked to him, for he was the most illustrious of them. Two elders had been appointed among the people to be judges that year; they were of those of whom the Lord said: “The crime came from Babylon by elders, by judges who pretended to guide the people. They frequented Joakim's house, and all those who had lawsuits came to find them. When the people had retired, around noon, Suzanne entered her husband's garden and was walking there. The two elders saw her come in and walk every day, and they began to desire her: they perverted their thinking, they turned away their eyes so as not to look up to heaven and remember her righteous decrees. They were watching for the favorable day, when Suzanne entered, as on the day before and the day before, accompanied only by two young girls; it was very hot, and she wanted to take a bath in the garden. There was no one except the two elders who had been hiding and watching him. Suzanne said to the young women: "Bring me something to perfume and wash myself, then close the garden doors so that I can take my bath." As soon as the young girls had gone out, the two elders appeared, ran towards Suzanne and said to her: 'The garden doors are closed, we cannot be seen; we want you, be willing and come with us. Otherwise we will bear this testimony against you: There was a young man with you, and that is why you sent the young women away. »Suzanne moaned:« On all sides, I am trapped: if I give in to you, it is death for me; and if I refuse to give in, I will not escape your hands. Better for me to fall into your hands without yielding to you, than to sin in the sight of the Lord. Then Suzanne let out a loud cry, and the two elders began to cry out against her. One of them ran to open the garden doors. The people of the house, hearing screaming in the garden, rushed through the back door to see what was happening to Suzanne. When the elders had told their story, the servants were ashamed,

The next day, the people gathered at her husband Joakim's house. The two elders arrived, filled with criminal thoughts against Suzanne, and determined to put her to death. They said before the people: “Send for Suzanne, daughter of Helkias, wife of Joakim. They sent for him. She introduced herself with her parents, her children and all her relatives. All her family were crying, as were all who saw her. The two elders rose up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands on his head. Weeping, she looked up to heaven, for her heart was full of trust in the Lord. The elders said: “As we were walking alone in the garden, this woman entered with two maids. She closed the doors and dismissed the maids. Then a young man who was in hiding came to her, and slept with her. We were in a corner of the garden, we saw the crime, and we ran towards them. We saw them unite, but we couldn't get hold of the young man, because he was stronger than us: he opened the door and he escaped. But we got hold of her, and we asked her who this young man was; she didn't want to tell us. Of all that. we are witnesses. The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. " and we ran to them. We saw them unite, but we couldn't get hold of the young man, because he was stronger than us: he opened the door and he escaped. But we got hold of her, and we asked her who this young man was; she didn't want to tell us. Of all that. we are witnesses. The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. " and we ran to them. We saw them unite, but we couldn't get hold of the young man, because he was stronger than us: he opened the door and he escaped. But we got hold of her, and we asked her who this young man was; she didn't want to tell us. Of all that. we are witnesses. The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. " because he was stronger than us: he opened the door and he escaped. But we got hold of her, and we asked her who this young man was; she didn't want to tell us. Of all that. we are witnesses. The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. " because he was stronger than us: he opened the door and he escaped. But we got hold of her, and we asked her who this young man was; she didn't want to tell us. Of all that. we are witnesses. The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. " The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. " The assembly believed them, for they were elders of the people and judges, and Suzanne was condemned to death. Then she cried out in a loud voice: "Eternal God, you who penetrate secrets, you who know all things before they happen, you know that they have borne false witness against me. Here I am going to die, without having done anything of all that their wickedness has imagined against me. "

The Lord heard his voice. As she was being led to death, God awakened the spirit of holiness in a very young boy named Daniel, who began to cry out in a loud voice: “I am innocent of the death of this woman! "All the people turned to him and they asked him:" What does this word which you have spoken mean? "Then, standing among the people, he said to them:" Son of Israel, are you then mad? Without questioning, without seeking the truth, you have condemned a girl from Israel. Come back to court, for them people gave false testimony against her. "

So all the people returned in haste, and the quorum of elders said to Daniel, "Come and sit among us and give us an explanation, for God has already made you an elder." "And Daniel said to them:" Separate them well one from the other, I will question them. "When they were separated, Daniel called first and said to him:" You who have grown old in evil, you now bear the weight of the sins you once committed by judging unjustly: you condemned the innocent and you acquitted the guilty, when the Lord said, “Thou shalt not put to death the innocent and the righteous.” Well ! if you really saw this woman, tell us under which tree you saw them giving themselves to each other? He replied: "Under a sycamore tree. Daniel said: "Here is a lie that condemns you: the angel of God has received an order from God, and he's going to kill you. Daniel sent him away, sent for the other and said to him: "You are of the race of Canaan and not of Judah!" Beauty has led you astray and desire has perverted your heart. This is how you treated the daughters of Israel, and out of fear they gave themselves to you. But a daughter of Judah could not consent to your crime. Tell me then under which tree did you see them giving each other? He replied: "Under a chestnut tree. Daniel said to him: "You too, here is a lie that condemns you: the angel of God is waiting, sword in hand, to chastise you and have you exterminated. " they gave themselves to you. But a daughter of Judah could not consent to your crime. Tell me then under which tree did you see them giving each other? He replied: "Under a chestnut tree. Daniel said to him: "You too, here is a lie that condemns you: the angel of God is waiting, sword in hand, to chastise you and have you exterminated. " they gave themselves to you. But a daughter of Judah could not consent to your crime. Tell me then under which tree did you see them giving each other? He replied: "Under a chestnut tree. Daniel said to him: "You too, here is a lie that condemns you: the angel of God is waiting, sword in hand, to chastise you and have you exterminated. "

Then the whole assembly uttered a great clamor and blessed God who saves those who hope in him. Then she turned against the two elders that Daniel had convinced of false testimony by their own mouths. In accordance with the law of Moses, they were made to suffer the punishment that their wickedness had imagined against their neighbor: they were put to death. And that day an innocent life was spared. 

The Word of the Lord.

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