DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

APRIL 7, 2025

MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT

(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE, PRIEST)

FIRST READING

DANIEL 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 OR (2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14; 2:1-3 / DANIEL 13:41-62)

1 In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,2 who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah;3 her pious parents had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses.4 Joakim was very rich; he had a garden near his house, and the Jews had recourse to him often because he was the most respected of them all.5 That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, of whom the Lord said, "Wickedness has come out of Babylon: from the elders who were to govern the people as judges."6 These men, to whom all brought their cases, frequented the house of Joakim.7 When the people left at noon, Susanna used to enter her husband's garden for a walk.8 When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust for her.9 They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments.15 One day, while they were waiting for the right moment, she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only. She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm. 16 Nobody else was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her. 17 "Bring me oil and soap," she said to the maids, "and shut the garden doors while I bathe." 19 As soon as the maids had left, the two old men got up and hurried to her.20 "Look," they said, "the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us.21 If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you."22 "I am completely trapped," Susanna groaned. "If I yield, it will be my death; if I refuse, I cannot escape your power.23 Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord."24 Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her,25 as one of them ran to open the garden doors.26 When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden, they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her.27 At the accusations by the old men, the servants felt very much ashamed, for never had any such thing been said about Susanna.28 When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day, the two wicked elders also came, fully determined to put Susanna to death. Before all the people they ordered:29 "Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim." When she was sent for,30 she came with her parents, children and all her relatives.33 All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.34 In the midst of the people the two elders rose up and laid their hands on her head.35 Through her tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.36 The elders made this accusation: "As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman entered with two girls and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls.37 A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her.38 When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime, we ran toward them.39 We saw them lying together, but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we; he opened the doors and ran off.40 Then we seized this one and asked who the young man was,41 but she refused to tell us. We testify to this." The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.42 But Susanna cried aloud: "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be:43 you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me."44 The Lord heard her prayer.45 As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,46 and he cried aloud: "I will have no part in the death of this woman."47 All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?"48 He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O Israelites! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence?49 Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her."50 Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age."51 But he replied, "Separate these two far from one another that I may examine them."52 After they were separated one from the other, he called one of them and said: "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term:53 passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, "The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.'54 Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together."55 "Under a mastic tree," he answered. "Your fine lie has cost you your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two."56 Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah," Daniel said to him, "beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience.57 This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.58 Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together."59 "Under an oak," he said. "Your fine lie has cost you also your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both."60 The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those that hope in him.61 They rose up against the two elders, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:62 they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 22(23):1-6 OR (PSALMS 1:1-4, 6)

Response: Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for thou are at my side.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.

R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for thou are at my side.

He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup overflows.

R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for thou are at my side.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for ever.

R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for thou are at my side.
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GOSPEL

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness

JOHN 8:12-20 OR (MATTHEW 18:1-5)

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 13 The Pharisees then said to him, "You are bearing witness to yourself; your testimony is not true." 14 Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I have come and where I am going, but you do not know where I come or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me. 17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true; 18 I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me." 19 They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Walking in the Light of Life, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

[That unfailing Light] has taken you from the eyes of the flesh and brought you back again to the eyes of the heart! He does not think it enough to say... "shall have light" but adds "of life," even as in the psalm it was said, "[In your light shall we see light]; for with you is the fountain of life" (Psalm 36:9). See how the words of our Lord agree with the truth of that psalm where light is placed with the fountain of life and now here he speaks of the "light of life." For bodily uses, light is one thing and a well another. Our mouths seek a fountain; our eyes seek the light. When we thirst, we seek a fountain; when we are in darkness we seek light. And if we happen to get thirsty in the night, we kindle a light to come to a fountain. With God the light and the well are the same. The one who shines on you so that you may see him is the same one who flows to you so that you may drink him.
You see then what kind of light this is if you see inwardly the light of which he says, "He that follows me shall not walk in darkness." Follow the sun, and let us see if you will not walk in darkness. When the sun rises, it comes toward you and heads on to the west. But perhaps your journey is toward the east. So if you follow the sun, then you will certainly err and instead of going east you will go west, whether by land... or by sea. Finally, you decide that you should follow the sun, and you travel to the west, where it also travels. Let us see if, after it sets, you will not still walk in darkness. See how, though you are unwilling to desert it, yet it will desert you in order to finish out its service for the day. But our Lord Jesus Christ, even when he was not made known to all through the cloud of his flesh, still held all things by the power of his wisdom. Your God is everywhere entirely. If you do not fall away from him, he will never fall away from you.

[excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 34.5.6.18]
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.