The Right Choice

How do you act in the face of criticism and judgement? Do you stand by your beliefs and convictions or compromise some beliefs to limit the judgement and criticism? The readings today all brought to mind thoughts of how we react to judgement and criticism. The Responsorial Psalm and Gospel provide the simple answer in a Catholic sense: trust in and follow God. These readings parallel the Ignatian First Principle and Foundation in their answer. We are called to make decisions and act in ways that bring us closer to God. Seemingly all practicing Catholics would agree with and strive towards this answer; however, our experience in this life is often more complex than what these readings detail.

For this reason, I found myself drawn primarily to the first reading in which Susanna, a faithful servant of God, is blackmailed by two elders who were appointed the judges in Babylon. Susanna rejects the lustful advances of the two elders so as to not sin before God. The elders, who told Susanna what they would do if she rejected their advances, perjure themselves before the people of Babylon and sentence Susanna to death. Before carrying out the sentence, a young man questions the crowd about how they could allow this woman to die without examination and proof. In questioning the elders, the lies of elders are discovered, and they are put to death.

This reading made me think about the many choices we make every day with our family, friends, coworkers and others. Not every choice in our lives is as extreme as the one that Susanna faced: committing adultery or being sentenced to death. In contrast and at times, we find ourselves in situations where there is an “easy” way, in which the least amount of disruption or friction is caused, and a “right” way where are beliefs or what we know is right is followed most closely. The young man in the reading faces a similar situation. He could have easily stayed quiet like the rest of the crowd that was gathered, but instead, he called into question the respected and authoritative elders of the community in order to do what he felt is right and just. Sometimes it feels easier to be another face in the crowd when the consequences of acting out or against something are unknown.

I know in my life I have felt the draw of those “easy” choices. I’ve made excuses for myself such as telling myself I’m too tired, that I’ve done enough or my fair share, or even reasoning with myself that what’s right is ambiguous and unclear. In addition to this internal thoughts and challenges, I thought about the external challenges that we face connected to groupthink and mob mentality, which have only been further enhanced by social media algorithms and areas of the mainstream media. I know I have made these mistakes and chosen the “easy” path at times, but the readings remind us that the answer should always be the simple, right one. When I think about these readings and the mistakes I have made in the past, I want and desire to make the right decisions like Susanna and the young man. God knows we are imperfect and I believe God only asks that we try and get it right the next time. I know I want to.

Author: Alex Soich, CFO