Or first reading from Daniel today is a very long reading. The long version of the reading is almost an entire chapter. The short version is still 21 verses long. This chapter of Daniel is not included in the Protestant Bible. I remember that when I was in college, when for the first time I had a Bible that contained those Deuterocanonical, it was of great interest to me to read those Bible not included in the Protestant Bible for the first time. The story of Susana is certainly a very vivid story with Daniel as the hero, as he save Susana from these elders who not only try to take advantage of her, but they try to have her put to death. In my parish of St Jude this Lent, we have been talking about the sacrament of reconciliation and have tried to get our parishioners to understand this sacrament better. There are many Catholics who do not go to that sacrament regularly and who have a great deal of anxiety or misunderstanding over it. As I hear the story of Susana in Daniel today, I think of the many people who struggle with lust in their lives and who struggle with things like pornography, infidelity, and other such temptations. With things like so many different social media websites and apps and the technology that is available to us, it seems like it is much easier to be tempted into these sins in our modern world. But in the midst of temptation, we hear from the 23rd psalm: “Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.” The Lord is there helping us to stay on the right path and helping us fight off temptation.
I want to encourage all of you who have not gone to the sacrament of reconciliation this Lenten season to go to this sacrament and to do a thorough examination of conscience. Also, as we get closer to the end of the Lenten season and the commemoration of Holy Week, to continue our Lenten disciplines as we continue to journey with the Lord during these holy 40 days.
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