Will a “Daniel” arise today?

By Lissy Kurian

Mumbai: Will a “Daniel” rise up to show the truth in the case of Sister Lucy Kalapura?

These were my thoughts when I reached the Book of Daniel as part of reading the entire Bible during the Pauline Biblical year.

The story of Susanna is an amazing account of God’s predilection for His faithful people.

I turned to the dialogue that condemned the beautiful person. (Daniel 13: 28-63)

When Susanna went for her routine bath in her large home garden, she was not aware of the recently installed CCTV cameras there. (They were earlier installed outside, or inside her husband’s office.) They recorded only selective shots like when maids were “sent out” or went out. And when Susanna was alone.

Since Susanna refused to agree to the scenes shot by the CCTV cameras, it was soon leaked out in the social media. In time it went viral, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and all.

Susanna, until now beautiful inside as her exterior appearance, became guilty before all her dear ones and friends. The CCTV cameras were placed at the bottom of a tree instead on its top to get clear shots. Was this the root of the error?

Susanna, a woman of great refinement, was brought before the crowd for judgment. The CCTV camera were played back again. No one doubts the accuracy of the camera shots, taken as evidence.

Only Susanna knew the real plot of the drama. She cried to her God, the most faithful one, “O eternal God, you know that CCTV camera was defective. It was installed abruptly. And because of its faults, I am to die bringing shame and sorrow to all my beloved ones.”

God’s faithfulness cannot be doubted. He appears at the appropriate time. His judgments are true and just.

And so, he appeared in the form of a young boy. Everyone turned to the boy who shouted through traditional media – the loudspeaker. “I want no part in the shedding of this woman’s blood,” he said.

But he did not stop at that. He was willing to prove the truth behind the drama.

“Eh, Eh… who is that?” Everyone was taken aback.

The social media evidence was drowned in the single voice. It was terrible. “Are you such fools,” Daniel asked the dignitaries and ordinary folk gathered to witness the trial of the beautiful, kind lady.

The CCTV cameras were switched off.

Now some wise elders decided to examine the CCTV cameras, together with Daniel, or replay the CCTV cameras separately, to check which one was defective.

It did some good. Both were defective. The wise elders were certain. The woman was innocent as they had known her all the time.

The defective CCTV cameras had to be destroyed.

Let us come to Sister Lucy Kalapura.

No one knew her until she drove her car to Ernakulam from Wayanad to support a handful of nuns who protested against a bishop who they said had abused one of them.

No one knew what she had done or possessed until then.

No one knew that she had her own car.

No one knew about her social work among the poor, besides her routine teaching mission.

When did the CCTV cameras begin to follow her? Did they absorb the right shots? Or were they defective?

Will there arise a “Daniel” among her sisters, who could certify the CCTV camera shots?