Yesu Karunanidhi

Daily Catholic Lectio. Mon, 18 Mar 2024. Mercy and misery

Daily Catholic Lectio

Mon, 18 March 2024

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Daniel (G) 2:1-9, 15:17, 19-30, 33-62. John 8:1-11

Mercy and misery

“They went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.” Saint Augustine, commenting on this text, writes, “In the end, mercy and misery (in Latin, misericordia et misera)  were left alone. The mercy clothed the misery.” Pope Francis used this expression of Saint Augustine as the title of his apostolic exhortation, with which he closed the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016.

The readings of the day bring before us two women, two helpless women; both are accused of adultery, but the men who committed the act are not there! Both are liberated in the end.

In the first reading, we meet Susanna, and in the gospel reading, we meet the nameless adulterous woman (Anamika).

The scribes and the Pharisees use the woman caught in adultery to trap Jesus. The conversation begins with ‘teacher.’ A kind of sarcasm that questions Jesus’ teaching authority. Jesus does not mind it. Jesus realises that they did not understand the Law of Moses, which always wanted people to move towards God’s love. Pope Francis writes, “This is not an encounter of sin and judgement, but that of sinner and Saviour.”

The crowd is not able to bear the silence of Jesus. The silence of Jesus is sounding in their hearts as it leads them to a self-examination for which they were not ready. Jesus turns their attention to their own sins. The woman is relieved.

In the first reading, Daniel comes to the rescue of Susanna. The book conveys the message that God sends his messenger to protect the righteous in their difficult circumstances.

Susanna and the nameless woman are metaphors for Jesus, who was sentenced to death with false accusations. God, the Father, liberates Jesus from the clutches of death.

What are the lessons for us?

(a) Standing by those who are helpless. Many times we feel helpless on account of our ageing, work, disposition, health, and social situation. We meet those who are helpless. When we stand with them, we too become empowered.

(b) Seeing beyond sin. We must learn to see beyond sin, guilt, and fear. This attitude will make us love everyone, for as Paul writes, “love bears all things” (cf. 1 Cor 13).

(c) The end is only a bend. Susanna and the adulterous woman felt they were at the end of their lives. But, in God’s eyes, the end is only a bend. When these women hit the wall, God makes a path.

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Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, using the expression ‘spirituality of mercy’ invites us to learn and practice this. Mercy is a journey that goes beyond justice. (Jubilee A. D. 2025, bite 57)

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy

One response to “Daily Catholic Lectio. Mon, 18 Mar 2024. Mercy and misery”

  1. raycanada2024 Avatar
    raycanada2024

    Thank you. Yesu, In your homily point for today, “When we stand with them (helpless), we too become empowered,” I sense the reverberation of the elements of Migrant Theology, Refugee Theology, Theology of Anawim, and Theology of the Poor, Liberation Theology (Especially of South American Theologian Sobrino and his Locus: NO SALVATION APART FROM THE POOR which needs to be revisited to provide apt response to the current environment in India. Truly we are the real beneficiaries when we stand with them… in the process, we get ennobled and are led a life of further conversion through a self-corrective-process of learning towards a life of self-transformation and self-transcendence.

    The Indian Bishops’ Final Statement – the fruition of CBCI XXXVI Biennial General Body Meeting (held from January 31 to February 7, 2024 ) communicates clearly that they stand with the helpless people of India especially of Manipur, fisherfolk, unemployed youth, and farmers and religious minorities who are at the receiving end:
    “Economic development in our country seems to have benefitted only a small percentage. The rate of unemployment has vastly increased. Largescale migration has caused untold misery to many. So also, scientific and technological development has not yet reached the majority of our people especially in the rural areas, resulting in a digital divide. We feel that development is often done to the detriment of ecology, disrupting the life especially of our tribal brothers and sisters, many of whom are being dispossessed of their lands. We have also witnessed in anguish the sufferings of the fisherfolk in the coastal areas and the long-drawn out struggle of the farmers. There is an apprehension that divisive attitudes, hate speeches and fundamentalist movements are eroding the pluralistic, secular ethos which has always characterized our country and its Constitution. The Fundamental Rights and Minority Rights guaranteed in the Constitution should never be undermined. Attacks on Christians continue to increase in different parts of India. Destruction of homes and churches, harassment of personnel serving in orphanages, hostels, educational and healthcare institutions on false allegations of conversion have become common. We are appalled by prolonged violence in Manipur resulting in the huge loss of life and livelihood. There is a widespread perception that the important democratic institutions of our country are weakening, the federal structure is under stress and the media are not fulfilling their role as the fourth pillar of democracy. There is an unprecedented religious polarization which is harming the cherished social harmony in our country and endangering democracy itself. (CBCI XXXVI Biennial General Body Final Statement, nos. 2.1-2.6).

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