20170403 ABUSE OF AUTHORITY
Readings at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: Violet.
EITHER:
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First reading
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Daniel
13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62 ©
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In Babylon there
lived a man named Joakim. He had married Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, a woman
of great beauty; and she was God-fearing, because her parents were worthy
people and had instructed their daughter in the Law of Moses. Joakim was a very
rich man, and had a garden attached to his house; the Jews would often visit
him since he was held in greater respect than any other man. Two elderly men
had been selected from the people that year to act as judges. Of such the Lord
said, ‘Wickedness has come to Babylon through the elders and judges posing as
guides to the people.’ These men were often at Joakim’s house, and all who were
engaged in litigation used to come to them. At midday, when everyone had gone,
Susanna used to take a walk in her husband’s garden. The two elders, who used
to watch her every day as she came in to take her walk, gradually began to
desire her. They threw reason aside, making no effort to turn their eyes to
heaven, and forgetting its demands of virtue. So they waited for a favourable
moment; and one day Susanna came as usual, accompanied only by two young
maidservants. The day was hot and she wanted to bathe in the garden. There was
no one about except the two elders, spying on her from their hiding place. She
said to the servants, ‘Bring me some oil and balsam and shut the garden door
while I bathe.’
Hardly
were the servants gone than the two elders were there after her. ‘Look,’ they
said ‘the garden door is shut, no one can see us. We want to have you, so give
in and let us! Refuse, and we will both give evidence that a young man was with
you and that was why you sent your maids away.’ Susanna sighed. ‘I am trapped,’
she said ‘whatever I do. If I agree, that means my death; if I resist, I cannot
get away from you. But I prefer to fall innocent into your power than to sin in
the eyes of the Lord.’ Then she cried out as loud as she could. The two elders
began shouting too, putting the blame on her, and one of them ran to open the
garden door. The household, hearing the shouting in the garden, rushed out by
the side entrance to see what was happening; once the elders had told their
story the servants were thoroughly taken aback, since nothing of this sort had
ever been said of Susanna.
Next day
a meeting was held at the house of her husband Joakim. The two elders arrived,
in their vindictiveness determined to have her put to death. They addressed the
company: ‘Summon Susanna daughter of Hilkiah and wife of Joakim.’ She was sent
for, and came accompanied by her parents, her children and all her relations.
All her own people were weeping, and so were all the others who saw her. The
two elders stood up, with all the people round them, and laid their hands on
the woman’s head. Tearfully she turned her eyes to heaven, her heart confident
in God. The elders then spoke. ‘While we were walking by ourselves in the
garden, this woman arrived with two servants. She shut the garden door and then
dismissed the servants. A young man who had been hiding went over to her and
they lay down together. From the end of the garden where we were, we saw this
crime taking place and hurried towards them. Though we saw them together we were
unable to catch the man: he was too strong for us; he opened the door and took
to his heels. We did, however, catch this woman and ask her who the young man
was. She refused to tell us. That is our evidence.’
Since
they were elders of the people, and judges, the assembly took their word:
Susanna was condemned to death. She cried out as loud as she could, ‘Eternal
God, you know all secrets and everything before it happens; you know that they
have given false evidence against me. And now have I to die, innocent as I am
of everything their malice has invented against me?’
The Lord
heard her cry and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit
residing in a young boy named Daniel who began to shout, ‘I am innocent of this
woman’s death!’ At which all the people turned to him and asked, ‘What do you
mean by these words?’ Standing in the middle of the crowd he replied, ‘Are you
so stupid, sons of Israel, as to condemn a daughter of Israel unheard, and
without troubling to find out the truth? Go back to the scene of the trial:
these men have given false evidence against her.’
All the
people hurried back, and the elders said to Daniel, ‘Come and sit with us and
tell us what you mean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have.’
Daniel said, ‘Keep the men well apart from each other for I want to question
them.’ When the men had been separated, Daniel had one of them brought to him.
‘You have grown old in wickedness,’ he said ‘and now the sins of your earlier
days have overtaken you, you with your unjust judgements, your condemnation of
the innocent, your acquittal of guilty men, when the Lord has said, “You must
not put the innocent and the just to death.” Now then, since you saw her so
clearly, tell me what tree you saw them lying under?’ He replied, ‘Under a
mastic tree.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie recoils on your own head: the
angel of God has already received your sentence from him and will slash you in
half.’ He dismissed the man, ordered the other to be brought and said to him,
‘Spawn of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has led your heart
astray! This is how you have been behaving with the daughters of Israel and
they were too frightened to resist; but here is a daughter of Judah who could
not stomach your wickedness! Now then, tell me what tree you surprised them
under?’ He replied, ‘Under a holm oak.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie
recoils on your own head: the angel of God is waiting, with a sword to drive
home and split you, and destroy the pair of you.’
Then the
whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the saviour of those who trust in him.
And they turned on the two elders whom Daniel had convicted of false evidence
out of their own mouths. As prescribed in the Law of Moses, they sentenced them
to the same punishment as they had intended to inflict on their neighbour. They
put them to death; the life of an innocent woman was spared that day.
OR:
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Alternative
First reading
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Daniel 13:41-62 ©
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Susanna was condemned
to death. She cried out as loud as she could, ‘Eternal God, you know all
secrets and everything before it happens; you know that they have given false
evidence against me. And now have I to die, innocent as I am of everything
their malice has invented against me?’
The Lord
heard her cry and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit
residing in a young boy named Daniel who began to shout, ‘I am innocent of this
woman’s death!’ At which all the people turned to him and asked, ‘What do you
mean by these words?’ Standing in the middle of the crowd he replied, ‘Are you
so stupid, sons of Israel, as to condemn a daughter of Israel unheard, and
without troubling to find out the truth? Go back to the scene of the trial: these
men have given false evidence against her.’
All the
people hurried back, and the elders said to Daniel, ‘Come and sit with us and
tell us what you mean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have.’
Daniel said, ‘Keep the men well apart from each other for I want to question
them.’ When the men had been separated, Daniel had one of them brought to him.
‘You have grown old in wickedness,’ he said ‘and now the sins of your earlier
days have overtaken you, you with your unjust judgements, your condemnation of
the innocent, your acquittal of guilty men, when the Lord has said, “You must
not put the innocent and the just to death.” Now then, since you saw her so
clearly, tell me what tree you saw them lying under?’ He replied, ‘Under a
mastic tree.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie recoils on your own head: the
angel of God has already received your sentence from him and will slash you in
half.’ He dismissed the man, ordered the other to be brought and said to him,
‘Spawn of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has led your heart
astray! This is how you have been behaving with the daughters of Israel and
they were too frightened to resist; but here is a daughter of Judah who could
not stomach your wickedness! Now then, tell me what tree you surprised them
under?’ He replied, ‘Under a holm oak.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie
recoils on your own head: the angel of God is waiting, with a sword to drive
home and split you, and destroy the pair of you.’
Then the
whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the saviour of those who trust in him.
And they turned on the two elders whom Daniel had convicted of false evidence
out of their own mouths. As prescribed in the Law of Moses, they sentenced them
to the same punishment as they had intended to inflict on their neighbour. They
put them to death; the life of an innocent woman was spared that day.
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Responsorial
Psalm
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Psalm 22(23) ©
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If I should walk
in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.
The Lord is my
shepherd;
there is
nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are
the pastures
where he
gives me repose.
Near restful waters
he leads me,
to revive
my drooping spirit.
If I should walk
in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.
He guides me along
the right path;
he is
true to his name.
If I should walk in
the valley of darkness
no evil
would I fear.
You are there with
your crook and your staff;
with
these you give me comfort.
If I should walk
in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.
You have prepared a
banquet for me
in the
sight of my foes.
My head you have
anointed with oil;
my cup is
overflowing.
If I should walk
in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.
Surely goodness and
kindness shall follow me
all the
days of my life.
In the Lord’s own
house shall I dwell
for ever
and ever.
If I should walk
in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.
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Gospel
Acclamation
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2Co6:2
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Glory to you, O
Christ, you are the Word of God!
Now is the favourable
time:
this is the day of
salvation.
Glory to you, O
Christ, you are the Word of God!
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Or
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Ezk33:11
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Glory to you, O
Christ, you are the Word of God!
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.
Glory to you, O
Christ, you are the Word of God!
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Gospel
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John 8:1-11 ©
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Jesus went to the
Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the
people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.
The
scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing
adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to
Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery,
and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by
stoning. What have you to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for
something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the
ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and
said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw
a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again. 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. He looked up and
said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she
replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any
more.’
ABUSE
OF AUTHORITY
One of the realities in life is that
those entrusted to rule, govern and lead often abuse their authority. It
is no longer used for service but for self. As it is said, “Power
corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Again, and again,
those who assume authority are tempted to use their power to protect their
interests and that of their loved ones, rather than for the service of the
people under their care. This explains why authority, whether political,
corporate and religious, is not trusted today. This temptation to abuse
authority is clearly demonstrated in today’s scripture readings.
Authority is abused for different reasons.
Authority is abused when those in power
use it to satisfy their lust. We often hear of bosses taking advantage of
their women employees to satisfy their lust. Many give in for fear of
being sacked or losing the favour of their bosses. This is intolerable,
especially when we think of children being sexually abused by their guardians.
Understandably, lust itself is one of the capital sins and often, we are so
blinded by it, like the elders in the first reading, that we do not think of
the consequences of our actions. We do not think of our job, those people
who are involved in this sin of ours, our children, the family members and the
victim.
Authority is abused when it is used to
satisfy one’s greed. Because of greed and the desire to have more,
those in power are often tempted to make decisions in their favour, lacking
transparency and accountability. Business deals are given to family
members and friends. Public funds are channeled into their personal
accounts for personal use. Greed, which is another capital sin,
leads to cheating, dishonesty and fraud. Understandably, when you have
access to so much money, the temptation to cheat is very real, especially when
we think that no one can uncover our misdeeds. Greed makes us blind to
the consequences of our actions. We are so obsessed by money that we do
not realize that cheating others will have untold consequences for us and our
loved ones. Whatever it is, we will never live in peace with ill-gotten
gains.
Authority is sometimes used to favour our
loved ones and our friends. This happens very often in politics and in
the corporate world. Businesses are given to those who are our friends,
or as bribes. We use money and power to win people over to our
side. We promote those who are our friends and make them beholden to
us. We choose our collaborators not based on competency but on
friendship. Thus, we reward undeserving people, raise their
salaries and promote them at the expense of those who slave hard for the
organization. This is how cronyism prevails in many organizations.
Such discrimination and favouritism will destroy the ability of the
organization to move forward because everyone is working for himself or herself;
not for the common good.
Authority is used to cover up crimes and
mistakes. Instead of owning up to mistakes made or exposing crimes
committed, we use authority to cover up injustices and corruption. This was
certainly the case of the elders who sought to cover up their lustful act by
maliciously framing Susanna for committing adultery. Indeed, the
Church has paid a high price for all the pedophile cases committed by
priests. In trying to hide the shame and maintain credibility, the Church
has instead lost all credibility for failing to expose the crimes of her
priests.
What is worse is that authorities often
prey on the weak, the powerless and the voiceless. They manipulate such people,
particularly children, those who are poor, the uneducated, migrant workers, refugees,
etc. Knowing that they are powerless and poor, they often take advantage
of them, making them work without proper remuneration, not giving them rest,
and often treating them harshly. It is sad that many in authority
do not come to the defense of these people when they are wrongly accused or
ill-treated. Instead, we sweep such injustices under the carpet. This was
what happened to Susanna. The other judges did not bother to check and
verify the testimony of the two elders who accused Susanna. Instead, they
took the easy way out by condemning Susanna with the two elders.
They readily choose to believe without investigating the facts.
All these abuses are not new. They
are as old as the world. The selfishness of humanity lives in each one of
us, regardless whether we have power or not. But in those days,
leaders were expected to live a moral life and to have high moral
standards. Whether they were political, corporate or religious leaders,
they were seen as role models. Not only were they expected to perform
well in their tasks but they had to live exemplary lives of integrity and
honesty.
What could be the reasons for the loss of
credible leaders in the world today? Partly because of relativism and
agnosticism. Today, man no longer fears God or respect His
commandments. He has supplanted the position of God. There is no
after life or eternal punishment. So, he lives only for this world.
In a world of relativism, there is no right or wrong but it is a matter of being
pragmatic. Do whatever you want but just do not get caught.
Furthermore, with the promotion of worldly values and an amoral lifestyle, the
ability to distinguish between right and wrong is blurred; and the capacity to
resist evil and temptations is much weakened.
Fortunately, conscience does not die
completely. Since man no longer fears God, he still fears shame and
punishment. Hence, today, conscience is replaced with good
governance and public scrutiny. This is in the right direction for a secular society
that does not have God as its basis for morality. Even the Church
is required to come under the scrutiny of the public and she must be
accountable for whatever she does, especially in the use of donations and how
they are used and spent.
Yet whilst the gospel does not condone
such abuses of authority, the Church remains merciful to those who
repent. Jesus does not condone sins. He did not condone the
woman’s actions. But He understands the temptations facing us and the
challenges. He comes to forgive and restore us to wholeness.
He told the woman to go away in peace but He also warned her to sin no
more. All He wanted was a contrite and sincere heart. So if
we are willing to repent of our sins, then we only need to come to Jesus.
But we need to come clean and ask for His help to overcome our sins.
Indeed, we must forgive those who have done wrong, regardless of their sins,
because we are sinners ourselves. We must avoid practising double
standards; mercy for us and punishment for others.
Unfortunately, those in authority often
practise double standards. To themselves and their own kind, they are lenient
in judgment. But to others who are not their friends, they are dealt with
harshly and without mercy. Only the women were caught for adultery in
both cases, but the men escaped. Such is the justice of the world.
This was the case of the religious leaders when they brought the woman to
Jesus; not because she committed adultery but they used her as a bait to score
political points over Jesus. We must not make use of weak and needy
people as tools to achieve our goals. Perhaps for this reason, Jesus
wrote on the ground, either the Ten Commandments for the accusers to examine
their own sins, or the sins of the accusers. When they realized that they
too were sinners, they could not cast a stone at her.
In the final analysis, the ability to
exercise authority is not for everyone. Some of us are too weak to be
given power because we will succumb to the temptations that come with
power. This is inevitable. But whatever we do, there are grave
consequences for this life and the next, and for others. Those entrusted
with authority must be aware of the tremendous responsibility given to
them. It is for the service of all. This requires that they have no
vested interests so that they can make decisions that are just, impartial and
fair. So long as we have a vested interest, even emotional ties, we must
delegate that authority to someone else. We need to show ourselves to be
above board at all times and ready to account for all our decisions, like the
prophet Daniel. He did not go along with the other powerful figures in the
council. Instead, he spoke his mind without fear or favour.
Let us pray for our leaders, that they
have the moral integrity and courage to act justly and fairly for all,
regardless of their race, language, religion or status in life. All the
more, when it comes to the poor, the weak, the helpless, authority must be on
their side because they have no one to turn to except those in authority.
For those who are disappointed with authority, let us not give up hope.
Like Susanna, God will be on the side of the just. He will raise prophets
to defend the weak and the poor. With the psalmist, we can be sure that “He is
true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil
would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these
you give me comfort.” Let us be patient because God will depose of evil
authorities when the time is ripe, if they do not step down. Truly, when
leaders have lost the trust of their followers, they cannot lead and should
step down.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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