The story of Suzanna from the Book of Daniel is one of our readings for Monday, the 5th week of Lent. It would made a great TV special.  You can’t listen to it without thinking of present efforts to stop violence against women and the problem of sexual abuse.

Her story is about, first of all,  an abuse of power. The two old men, judges with lots of power; think they can do anything they want. Abuse of power, combined with lust, is still behind so many of our sexual problems today. It’s found in the workplace, in politics, in the celebrity and sports world, and also unfortunately in the world of religion. 

Suzannah refuses to give in to their advances and she finds a champion in Daniel who faces up to these powerful men. 

That’s the second thing to remember about this story. It’s important to stand up for the truth and to fight against abuses of power wherever we find them. Jesus gives us an example in the mystery of his passion. We have examples too in Suzannah and Daniel.