Power can sometimes be used to dominate or abuse the vulnerable while serving the interests of the powerful themselves. As Christians we sometimes need to speak the truth to power. Fr Richard reflects on today’s reading from Mass.
Readings for Monday of the fifth week of Lent can be found here.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. That famous line was written by John Dalberg-Acton, also known as Lord Acton. What is less well known is that Acton wrote it in a letter to the Anglican bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887. Creighton had objected to what he saw as the modern tendency to criticise authority figures. Acton disagreed – he argued it was important to hold those with power accountable. Though a Roman Catholic, he wrote that even the Pope should not be immune from criticism if he had erred.
In our readings today we see those who wield power using it for corrupt ends. The story of Susanna could be a modern-day case of the abuse of a vulnerable woman by powerful men. They desire her, and so decide that they shall get what they want. First the men try blackmail to get their way and when this doesn’t work they resort to lies to protect themselves and destroy Susanna. The Gospel reading features another woman whose fate is in the hands of powerful men. Unlike Susanna this woman has done wrong. Yet the Pharisees seek to abuse their power as religious leaders by using her case to test Jesus. They are not interested in morality but rather in finding something to use against Jesus. The woman’s life is just a pawn in their game.
Both women survive, but how are the abuses of power exposed? In the case of Susanna it is down to the bravery of Daniel who is prepared to speak out and expose the lies of the leaders. In the Gospel Jesus reveals the hypocrisy of the Pharisees by asking someone who has never sinned to cast the first stone. For him, the mercy, compassion and love of God is far more powerful than the grandstanding of the leaders. Increasingly, we are living in an age when politicians are speaking on matters of faith and religion. Often this is not borne of a desire to seek after the truth, but to consolidate their own power. May we have the courage to speak out when we see the abuse of power taking place, and so allow the love of God to shine through in every situation.
Mass today is in St Dyfrig and St Samson, Grangetown, at 6.30pm
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our Day By Day pages.
South Cardiff Ministry Area 