COMMENTARY.
The Omnipresence of God. The old sinners “perverted their own mind and turned away their eyes that they might not look into heaven, nor remember just judgments” (Dan. 13, 9). They intentionally banished all thought of the ever present and most just God, and said to Susanna: “No one seeth us.” But on the other hand the holy woman did remember Him, and said: “It is better for me to fall into your hands without sinning, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.”
The Omniscience of the Eternal God. “O Eternal God, who knowest hidden things, who knowest all things before they come to pass, Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me.” God knows everything that is hidden, what is past, and what is still to be. He revealed to Daniel that the two elders had borne false witness against Susanna; and it was the thought of God’s omniscience that gave Susanna courage and comfort in her hour of peril.
The Justice of God. He brought to light the innocence of Susanna, and the guilt of her accusers, in the most wonderful manner, in order that she might be rewarded, and they punished. God often manifests His justice in this way, even upon earth.
Fortitude. Susanna was a valiant woman, a very heroine of virtue. She preferred to die rather than sin. St. Chrysostom says of her: “Susanna stood as a lamb between two wolves. She was left alone between these two beasts, with no one to help her but God alone. He looked down from heaven, and suffered the dispute to make clear both the chastity of Susanna, and the wickedness of the elders; so that she might become a glorious example to women of all times. Susanna endured a severe fight, more severe than that of Joseph. He, a man, contended with one woman; but Susanna, a weak woman, had to contend with two men, and was a spectacle to men and to angels. The slander against her fidelity to her marriage-vow, the fear of death, her condemnation by all the people, the abhorrence of her husband and relations, the tears of her servants, the grief of all her household, she foresaw all this, and yet nothing could shake her fortitude.”
The way to preserve chastity. Susanna’s example shows us how we ought to act when tempted to sin against holy purity. She not only reminded herself of the Presence of the Just and Holy God, but she called loudly for help to drive away the two wicked tempters. Thus, if we were to find ourselves in a similar position, we ought to think of God and crave His help, and besides this (if we cannot flee, as Joseph did in the house of Putiphar), we should seek the help of others.
Consequences of want of chastity. The two elders committed sin upon sin. They coveted their neighbour’s wife; they intentionally sought her out, and by threats tried to drive her to sin; they calumniated her to her maids; they bore false witness against her in the court of
