First Reading (Dn 13,41c-62)
Reading of Daniel’s Prophecy.
In those days, the assembly condemned Susana to death. Susana, however, crying, said aloud: O eternal God, who knows the hidden things and knows everything in advance, before it happens! You know that the testimony they raised against me is false! I am condemned to die, when I did nothing of what these maliciously invented about me!
The Lord heard her voice. While they were taking her to execution, God raised up the holy spirit of a teenager, named Daniel. And he cried out with a loud voice, I am innocent of this woman’s blood!”
Then all the people turned to him and asked, What is this word that you just said?” Standing among them, Daniel replied: Are you so foolish, children of Israel? Without judgment and without knowledge of the true cause, do you condemn a daughter of Israel? Repeat the trial again, because the testimony they gave against her is false!”
All the people hurriedly returned, and other elders said to the young man: Sit among us and give us your opinion, for God has given you the honor of old age.” Then Daniel said: Keep the two separate, away from each other, and I will judge them.” Having been separated, Daniel called one of them and said to him: Old man withered in evil! Now the sins you were used to committing appear. 53You passed unjust judgments, condemning the innocent and acquitting the guilty, when the Lord commands: ‘You shall not put to death the innocent and the righteous!’ Well, if you saw it, tell me in the shade of which tree you saw them embracing?” He replied: In the shade of a mastic tree.”
Daniel replied: You lied perfectly, against your own head. That is why the angel of God, having already received the divine sentence, will split you in half!” Sending this one out, he ordered the other to be brought in: O race of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty fascinated you and passion perverted your heart. This is how you dealt with the daughters of Israel, and out of fear they submitted to you. But a daughter of Judah did not submit to this iniquity. Now then, tell me under which tree you caught them together?” He replied: Under a holm oak tree”. Daniel replied: You also lied perfectly against your own head. That is why the angel of God is already waiting, with sword in hand, to cut you in half and to exterminate you!”
The entire audience began to shout loudly, blessing God, who saves those who wait for him. And they turned against the two old men, for Daniel had convinced them, by his own words, that they were false witnesses. And acting according to the law of Moses, they did to them what they had wickedly plotted against their neighbor. And so they killed them, while, on that day, an innocent life was saved.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (John 8,1-11)
— PROCLAMATION of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn, he returned to the Temple again. All the people gathered around him. Sitting down, he began to teach them. However, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Taking her among them, they said to Jesus: Master, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. Moses in the Law ordered to stone such women. What do you say?”
They asked this to test Jesus and to have a reason to accuse him. But Jesus, bending down, began to write with his finger on the ground. When they persisted in questioning him, Jesus stood up and said: He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” And bending over again, he continued to write on the floor.
And when they heard what Jesus said, they went out one by one, starting with the oldest; and Jesus was left alone, with the woman who was there, in the middle, standing. Then Jesus stood up and said, Woman, where are they? Nobody condemned you?” She replied, No one, Lord.” Then Jesus said to him, I, too, do not condemn you. You can go, and from now on sin no more.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, I want to start our homily with a question that many of us have asked ourselves at some point in our lives: Who has never felt trapped by past mistakes? Who has never wanted a second chance to start over, to leave wrong choices behind and follow a path of righteousness and peace?
It’s incredible how the Holy Scriptures have the power to connect us with the deepest and most universal experiences of humanity. Today, in the biblical passages we read, we find stories that speak directly to our hearts and teach us about God’s mercy and love.
In the first reading, from the book of Daniel, we are introduced to a woman named Susana. She is wrongly accused of adultery by two influential men. Faced with the threat of death, she cries out to God for justice, placing her trust in the Lord. And God does not disappoint her. He sends the prophet Daniel, who, with divine wisdom, uncovers the truth and frees Susana from unjust condemnation.
This story shows us the importance of trusting God, even when we find ourselves in difficult and seemingly dead-end situations. Susana is an example of faith and courage, as she did not give in to despair, but maintained her trust in God’s power to bring justice.
This trust in God is also evident in today’s Gospel, which presents us with the famous story of the woman caught in adultery. This woman is brought to Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees, who want to put him to the test. They want to know what Jesus will do in light of the law of Moses, which prescribes stoning as punishment for adultery.
But Jesus does not fall into the trap. He looks at the gathered crowd and says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” This simple phrase echoes to this day, calling us to reflect on our own condition as sinners and reminding us of the mercy that God has towards us.
At that moment, one by one, the stones fall to the ground. The accusers withdraw, aware of their own imperfection. And Jesus, the only one without sin, asks the woman: “No one condemned you?” And she responds: “No one, Lord.” Then Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on sin no more.”
These words of Jesus are an invitation to transformation, to change your life. He does not ignore the woman’s sin, but encourages her to abandon her past and follow a path of righteousness. Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save. He offers that woman and each of us a second chance, an opportunity to start over.
Dear brothers and sisters, the stories of Susanna and the woman caught in adultery teach us that God’s mercy is always available to us. No matter how big our mistakes are, no matter how far we have strayed from God, He is always with open arms, ready to forgive us and help us start over.
Just like Susanna and the woman caught in adultery, we too are called to trust in God and abandon our sinful past. No matter what our choices have been, no matter how far we have strayed from God’s path, there is always hope. There is always the possibility of new life in Christ.
I want to encourage you to reflect on these biblical passages and apply them to your daily lives. Think about what areas of your life you need a second chance, where you need divine forgiveness. Maybe it’s a broken relationship, an unhealthy habit, or a negative mindset. Identify these areas and give them to God, trusting in His mercy and love.
Remember that God’s mercy is not an invitation to continue sinning, but rather a call for inner transformation. Just as Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, “Go, and from now on sin no more,” so He tells us to turn from our sin and strive to live a life of righteousness and holiness.
Sometimes it can be difficult to let go of our past mistakes and move forward. We may feel trapped in a cycle of guilt and regret. But remember that God is greater than our sins. He loves us unconditionally and offers us His grace to empower us to live a new life in Christ.
Imagine how the woman caught in adultery, in front of Jesus, watching the stones fall one by one. Visualize the freedom she experienced when she was forgiven and given a new chance. This same freedom is available to each of us.
To achieve this transformation, it is important that we seek the means of grace that God offers us. Participate in the sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist, where we find forgiveness and the strength to move forward. Seek daily prayer and meditation on the Word of God, allowing Him to speak directly to your hearts and guide you on your path.
Also, remember that we are not alone on this journey of transformation. We are part of a community of believers, the Church, that supports and encourages us. Seek the company of brothers and sisters in Christ, share your experiences and learn from each other. Together, we can grow in faith and love for God.
Dear brothers and sisters, today we were reminded of God’s mercy and the opportunity He offers us to start over. No matter what our mistakes have been, no matter how far we have strayed, God is always ready to welcome us back and offer us new life in Christ.
Let us leave behind the weight of our sins and embrace the hope and freedom that come through divine forgiveness. Let us be transformed by the love of God and live according to the teachings of the Scriptures. Thus, we will be living witnesses of God’s grace in our lives and we will be able to share his mercy with the world.
May the Holy Spirit guide us and strengthen us on this journey of transformation. May we live a life of righteousness and holiness, reflecting God’s love and mercy in everything we do.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us now and always. Amen.
