[stephenkhoo]

THE EXERCISE OF AUTHORITY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [DN 13:1-9,15-17,19-30, 33-62 (OR VERSES 41-62); JN 8:1-11]

In today’s scripture readings, the common theme seems to be adultery, one was framed and the other was guilty. Being lustful is understandable because it is one of the capital sins and more so among men. The sin of lust is strong and often irresistible. This weakness of men is not new. It is as old as the creation of humanity. Even today, in spite of the harsh penalties for rape and molestation, sex crimes have not gone down. Instead, statistics show that they are still going up. Infidelity in marriage is very common, as seen in the increasing number of extra-marital affairs and divorces.

This explains why in some cultures and societies, severe penalties are imposed on those who commit adultery or sexual crimes like molestation and rape, especially against young people. This is because adultery is more than just a sexual failure but it causes the community to suffer as a consequence of the act of adultery. Marriages become unstable as trust and love is destroyed by infidelity. Children suffer from emotional and psychological effects because of their parents’ constant quarreling and sometimes violence against each other. Those who are raised in single-parent families also lack holistic upbringing. Within this context, we can appreciate why the Mosaic Law commanded death by stoning as a penalty for those who break the law of marriage. (cf Lev 20:10; Dt 22:13f) Of course, sexual crimes against individuals are even worse because they destroy the confidence of those who were sexually abused, especially when they were young. Once violated, they have to live with the trauma for the rest of their lives, unless they find healing and integration.

But lest we get carried away into thinking that adultery is the focus of today’s liturgy, it is not. Rather, it is an invitation to those who have authority over others to examine how they exercise their juridical authority. Authority is always given for the common good of the community. Those who possess authority must be conscious of how they exercise their authority over those under their care. Today’s scripture readings show how authority was abused by those in power, and used for one’s selfish interests. Worse than adultery is the injustice of those who exercise authority.

In the first reading from the book of Daniel, we have two elderly men appointed as judges for the community. They were not just lustful but wicked as well. As we have read, Susanna was “a woman of great beauty.” Not surprisingly, the sin of lust began to work on these two elderly judges. “The two elders, who used to watch her every day as she came in to take her walk, gradually began to desire her. They threw reason aside, making no effort to turn their eyes to heaven, and forgetting its demands of virtue.” This is how the sin of lust grows from strength to strength. However, when they could not get her to sleep with them, they were vindictive and sought to protect their evil desires by framing her for committing adultery with a young man. This was certainly a despicable miscarriage of justice, a travesty.

In the gospel, again we see how those in authority used their power to manipulate the weak for their vested interests. They wanted to use the adulterous woman as a bait to discredit Jesus as a rabbi. They were not concerned about the woman’s sin but to use her to make Jesus lose His popularity with the people because He was seen as a man of compassion and forgiveness. In bringing the woman before Jesus, either way, they could depose Jesus as a fraud. If He were to pardon the woman, He would have been seen as going against the Law of Moses. If He were to order the woman to be stoned, not only would He no longer be consistent with His message of unconditional love and forgiveness but He would have incurred the wrath of the Romans as no Jew had a right to execute capital punishment.

Indeed, both cases show that those in authority had blatant disregard for the accused, whether she was guilty or otherwise. They used their office and position to serve their interests, whether it was lust or their status. They were entirely oblivious to the accused, their feelings and their right to a just trial. They were totally biased as only the women were brought before the public for scrutiny, but the men who were equally guilty escaped. This is the double standard the world practices, one treatment for women and one for men. It shows how women were discriminated then, and perhaps in some places today as well. Indeed, some men still think that way. They would be incensed and vindictive if their wives were to be unfaithful to them, but it is justifiable for them to flirt around and be unfaithful!

So how should authority be exercised? It must be for the common good whilst also recognizing the good of the individual as well, even though judicious judgment is necessary to protect both the common good and that of the individual. For instance, take the case of the death penalty. The Church is clear that in today’s world, the death penalty should be abolished as the argument for the defence of the community no longer holds. Death penalty was permitted to protect the common good of all. The Church’s position is that it is no longer necessary to use the death penalty to protect the community’s interest as there are other options to prevent crime. Furthermore, the Church’s position is that the life of every human person is inviolable. Life is sacred because it is created by God. Criminals need to be given a second chance, or even third and fourth chance, because they can be reformed through discipline, counselling and reintegration. Prison is not a place to punish a criminal but to reform and rehabilitate, so that he could repent and become contributive to society after discharge.

Of course, this remains a controversial issue and there are many facets to it. Governments would have to take positions which they deem to be good for the country. Whilst most would agree that prison should be rehabilitative, yet the importance of punishment cannot be underestimated so that it would be a real deterrence to those who intend to commit crime. Otherwise, people would not take crime seriously. Particularly, governments are in a dilemma when it comes to the need to protect the community from the immense sufferings that destroy individuals, families and society because of drug trafficking and drug-related offences. Will capital punishment be a real deterrence against drug-trafficking so as to protect the community, is a question we all might not agree on.

Regardless, for Jesus, the exercise of authority must be for the good of both the individual and the community. The adulterous woman was guilty. Jesus did not condone her sinful action. On the contrary, He told the woman, “go away and don’t sin anymore.” Indeed, to sin is to destroy oneself and those whom we love. Jesus condemned adultery, but He did not condemn the sinner. This is what the Church must also do. The Church cannot compromise on speaking the truth against sin, whether it be adultery, divorce, pedophilia, etc. But as Church we cannot condemn individuals. We must be sympathetic.

Authority therefore must be exercised with compassion and understanding. Jesus did not apply the rules rigidly and coldly. He sought to listen to those who accused the woman and the woman herself. Hence, He invited those who had no sin to cast the first stone. In other words, we must also examine ourselves and learn to identify with those who sin. The sin of lust is not just in those who commit sexual sins but it is also in us. If not by the grace of God, we too would have fallen as well. So there is nothing to boast about except His grace. This explains why everyone left eventually because they knew that they too were sinners like the woman. Thus, Jesus told the woman, “‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one sir,’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you.'” Indeed, God is always merciful and just. When we sin, we must not fall into despair. On the other hand, we cannot fall into complacency and take the grace of God for granted. Every failure in charity is an invitation to reflect, to take steps to avoid the occasion of sin, and to grow in humility so that we too can empathize with those who are struggling to be holy.