During the Third Saturday of Lent, the Church presents us with two powerful readings: the story of Susanna in Daniel 13 and the account of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. Both passages reveal God’s justice, His mercy, and His power to expose evil while vindicating the innocent. They invite us to reflect on our own conscience, the call to true repentance, and the certainty that God alone is the ultimate Judge.
The False Accusers and the Just Judge
The story of Susanna is one of injustice and divine vindication. The two wicked elders, driven by lust, conspire against a righteous woman, seeking to destroy her reputation and her life. Yet, through the intervention of Daniel, who acts as God’s instrument, their lies are uncovered, and Susanna is restored to honor.
In his Commentary on Daniel, St. Jerome observes:
“The elders were judges, yet they perverted judgment; they were the leaders of the people, yet they sought to lead a soul into sin. But God, who is the true Judge, did not permit their deceit to endure.”
Likewise, in John 8, the scribes and Pharisees seek to trap Jesus by bringing before Him a woman caught in adultery. They manipulate the Law to condemn her, not out of concern for justice, but as an opportunity to accuse Christ. Yet, just as God raised up Daniel to expose the elders, so too does Christ reveal the hypocrisy of these accusers, declaring, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone” (John 8:7).
St. Augustine, in his Homilies on the Gospel of John, beautifully interprets Christ’s action:
“The Lord was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst: the miserable one with Mercy. And He said to her, ‘Has no one condemned you?’ She answered, ‘No one, Lord.’ And He replied, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.’ Behold, the Lord condemned sin, but not the sinner.”
Mercy and Justice in Perfect Balance
Both Susanna and the woman in John 8 stand before a human tribunal, facing unjust condemnation. Yet, in both cases, God’s intervention changes the outcome. In Daniel 13, Susanna’s innocence is proven, while her accusers receive the punishment they sought for her. In John 8, however, the woman is guilty, yet she receives mercy.
This contrast highlights two aspects of God’s judgment: justice and mercy. St. Thomas Aquinas, reflecting on these passages, writes:
“God does not will the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live (cf. Ezekiel 33:11). Justice demands punishment for the unrepentant, yet mercy calls the sinner to repentance and offers the grace to sin no more.” (Summa Theologica, I-II, q. 87, a. 3)
Here, Jesus does not deny the woman’s sin, nor does He excuse it. Instead, He commands, “Go, and sin no more.” Mercy is not mere indulgence; it is a call to conversion, an invitation to leave behind the old life and walk in newness.
A Lenten Call to Examination of Conscience
As we journey through Lent, these readings compel us to examine our own hearts. Do we, like the elders and the Pharisees, seek to justify our own sins by condemning others? Do we stand in need of God’s mercy yet fail to extend it to others?
The example of Susanna calls us to trust in God’s justice, even when falsely accused or mistreated. The woman in John 8 teaches us that true repentance opens the door to divine mercy. And in both stories, we see the stark contrast between human hypocrisy and divine righteousness.
St. Leo the Great reminds us:
“Let the sinner be not ashamed to confess what he has done, so that he may be cleansed from his sin; for then, the merciful Judge will grant pardon, and the penitent will be freed from condemnation.” (Sermon 92)
Conclusion: The Just Judge and the Merciful Savior
On this Lenten Saturday, let us come before Christ with humility. Let us not be like the elders or the Pharisees, quick to condemn while blind to our own faults. Instead, let us imitate Susanna’s trust in God and the adulterous woman’s conversion of heart.
For Christ, the Just Judge, sees all things, and yet, in His infinite mercy, He offers the words that bring hope to every penitent soul:
“Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11)
May we take these words to heart, resolve to turn from sin, and walk more deeply in the grace of this holy season.
Sabbato infra Hebdomadam III in Quadragesima, Ora pro nobis!