Today we read from the book of Daniel; we read the story of susanna.
The story of Susanna is about many things: purity, false accusations, falsified conscience, lust and perversion, innocence suffering, prayers and prayers answered.
It is a beautiful story that relates to life quite easily.
Susanna is describes as a beautiful and God-fearing woman.
The judges are described as wicked.
Already from the beginning the stage is set for drama to unfold when the beauty of Susanna encounters the wickedness of the judges.
"When the old men saw her enter every day, they began to lust for her. They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments."
The smallest thought of lust gone unchecked dismantles the will of the two old men.
Such a little thing, such a big problem.
St. Thomas tells us the smallest error in the beginning leads to the greatest of mistakes in the end.
The story from the beginning reminds us that the conscience of each individual is organic not an oracle. It can be falsified, suppressed.
The conscience needs to be trained and formed and exercised properly. Without proper exercise the conscience like muscles can go into atrophy and lose its sharpness and ability to read reality correctly.
The conscience can be stunned, stunted, stamped out and moved in error.
We must train our conscience daily.
Notice at the beginning of the story, it is mentioned how Susanna was trained according to the law of Moses. Her conscience was pristine and well oiled.
Picking the right time, the old men spring their trap. They try to coerce young Susanna into sexual perversion, but the beauty of her conscience not her physical beauty gets the upper hand.
She refuses to be led into sin, "it is better to fall into your power without guilt then to sin before the Lord."
Susanna refused to suppress her conscience. She was willing to die rather than betray the love of God.
In the end, Righteousness is vindicated. Susanna's prayers are heard because of her loyalty to God. Wickedness is destroyed.
Daniel intervened. Daniel refused to be a spectator, a mere observer of events. He was willing to put is life and reputation on the line in order to take a stand for innocence and justice and truth.
Daniel's role is our role. The Spirit of God is already in us. God has already moved us to act for justice. It is time for us to follow where the Spirit leads.
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