EVEN  THOUGH  I  WALK 
IN THE DARK VALLEY 

I  FEAR  NO  EVIL; 
FOR  YOU  ARE  AT  MY  SIDE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 5^th Monday in Lent  is the psalm response for today’s Mass, “Even Though I Walk In the Dark Valley I Fear No Evil; For You Are At My Side.”

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings both have  the situation of a woman being accused of adultery and men want to kill them - stone them to death.

In the first reading from Daniel  it’s 2 Dirty old men who lust after Susanna and in the gospel it’s the woman caught in adultery - who  the Scribes and the Pharisees want to use her to kill her and Jesus as well.

The Psalm reading for today is Psalm  23 - which is very appropriate - because in both stories - each woman needs God to be at their side in such a horrible situation.

In the first reading it’s Daniel who saves Susanna. In the gospel it’s Jesus who saves this woman caught in adultery.

WHEN WE ARE IN A DARK VALLEY AND EVIL WANTS TO STONE US.

Everyone from time to time finds themselves in situations where others want to condemn us.

Till this day in India this same situation happens - because of male domination. Culture, custom control whom you can date and marry.

To this date in Islamic cultures where Sharia Law is imposed, sometimes women are stoned to death because of whom they date, want to marry, whom they fall in love with.

Back in the time of Puritan New England we had amongst the Puritans the same type of laws. We’ve all read or heard of Hawthorne’s book, The Scarlett Letter.

In our families there are stories about judgment for whom someone wants to marry.  He’s a Muslim. She’s of another color. He has tattoos and jewlerly.

He’s a mechanic or a maintenance man or a butcher or a baker or what have you.

STEPPING BACK AND SEE THE BIG PICTURE

In listening to people I have discovered some good news. It’s when people are worried when they become too judgmental.

To get the big picture, we need to say, “I don’t know why so and so is doing such and such a thing.”

There’s an interesting new book out, It Didn't Start With You: The Mystery of Inherited Trauma by Mark Wolynn.   It’s worth reading because of his thesis - that perhaps we are still influenced by what our great-grandparents have done.

He walks people back 3 or 4 generations.

The dark valley is a long dark valley.

I have to think about that. I did remember hearing, if you want to change someone, you have to start with your grandparents.

Maybe we picked up attitudes, religion, strictness, legalism, from our parents who picked it up  from their parents and they picked it up from their parents and on and on and on back.

Maybe we have to pause and realize God is at our side - walking with us - all through the generations.

Maybe once we sense God’s presence in our life - perhaps our God whom we think is fast asleep - we have to wake God up or let God shake us up and begin to influence us and others for the better.

Many of you worry about faith and grandkids.

Keep practicing your faith. Someone is picking it up.  Maybe today we are influencing 4 generations to come. Amen.