Often in our world, we go along to get along. Crowds may be sources of truth, or they may be paths to judgment.
Today’s storytelling opens with injustice. Susanna is wrongly accused and condemned to death on the false witness of two people. A young man named Daniel (the name in Hebrew means “God is my judge”), speaks up, halts the intended mob justice, and exonerates Susanna through his knowledge of Deuteronomic law.
In the Gospel of John, the Pharisees use the same principles to indict Jesus on claims of blasphemy. This is not only about Jesus’ monumental statements like “I am the light of the world.” It is also about his actions that upend the Pharisaic sense of right and wrong. Indeed, this passage follows Jesus’ curious doodles in the sand that stop a bloodthirsty crowd from murdering a woman caught in adultery.
Jesus’ life and light reinterpret the law through lenses of love. “My testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going.” In a world marked by injustice, deception, and false witness, Jesus invites us to a simple truth. When we remember that we belong to God and, like Jesus, will return to God, we are oriented better to live the truth in love. The light we need cuts through the shadow of condemnation and falsehood. It generates clarity that allows us to see the presence of the Divine in those we encounter. In turn, it makes our responsibility of crowdsourcing love much easier.

John DeCostanza, Jr.

John DeCostanza, Jr., is a pastoral minister, social worker, and theologian. He serves as vice president for faith and mission and as executive director of the Saint Martin de Porres Society at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.