Forming a Good Conscience: Susanna and the Adulterous Woman

The passage in today’s first reading from the book of Daniel is the account of Suzanna who is falsely accused by two corrupt elders (Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62). The drawn out account of Suzanna who was spied upon by two elders taken over by their lust for her. The reading uses a fascinating turn of phrase about the temptation of these two men: it says “they suppressed their consciences and would not allow their eyes to look to heaven”. To suppress one’s conscience is a serious thing to do.  Another translation says: they perverted their own mind. So that means not listening to the gentle call of the conscience within us is a form of perversion. We would turn away from you and rupture something within us.

Eric

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