Sussana is a woman of exemplary faith who goes out to bathe in her garden which would have been a normal thing in the time. Two old men who have hidden away try and trap her into sleeping with them. She says no and so they denounce her for having been with some young man.
They know the law. Dt 19: 15 requires a minimum of two witnesses. The two men lie. The two men lie but are discovered when questioned separately. In accord with Dt. 19:19 the two men are condemned to the punishment they tried to inflict on her.
In this story we see demonstrated basic principles of justice that we hold to this day. Susanna has a right to protect her good name. An accusation alone is no enough to convict. Sussana has a right to a trial. She has the right of defense. The presumption is that she is innocent. There must be some evidence and testimony.
These are basic human rights that must be always and everywhere defended. Unfortunately, in our zeal to put the abuse crisis behind us, we as a Church have too often set aside the rights of those accused. In truly medieval fashion the dead have been accused and convicted without trial or evidence.
On this day we pray for God to send forth that same Spirit that he stirred up in Daniel. It is possible for us to cleanse the Church of the scourge of abuse without abandoning our belief in the basic principles of justice.
