The trial of Susanna: O eternal God, who dost discern what is secret, who art aware of all things before they come to be

The Bible teaches us the spiritual gift of counsel (or sacred listening) on 4 occasions, the first case we see in the trial of King Solomon to the two prostitutes ( 1 Kings 3:16-28); we see two other cases in the gospels with Jesus when he answers: "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" Matthew 22:21, and: "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" John 8:7.
But finally, there is a little-known case in the Old Testament: The trial of Susanna, Daniel 13:1-64. The Bible tells us how God inspires a young man named Daniel, to save the life of a pious woman falsely accused of adultery.
This story starring by Daniel and Susanna shows us the importance of God's gifts, particularly the advice and the prophecy, for the common good and social peace. The gift of advice is not prudence, because prudence seeks happiness, while advice seeks the truth of God through intuition and inspiration; the counsel is precision and accuracy.

The Bible describes Susanna: "There was a man living in Babylon whose name was Jo' akim. And he took a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Hilki'ah, a very beautiful woman and one who feared the Lord. Her parents were righteous, and had taught their daughter according to the law of Moses" Daniel 13:1-2.
But two judges who frequented her husband's house set a trap for her, found her alone in the garden of her house to have intimate relations with her, and threatened to accuse her of adultery.
But she refuses, and thus begins Susanna's trial for adultery. In the trial Susanna prays for God's help: "Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, ´O eternal God, who dost discern what is secret, who art aware of all things before they come to be, thou knowest that these men have borne false witness against me. And now I am to die! Yet I have done none of the things that they have wickedly invented against me!" Daniel 13:42-43.
It is then that God helps Susanna: "The Lord heard her cry. And as she was being led away to be put to death, God aroused the holy spirit of a young lad named Daniel" Daniel 13:44.
Daniel inspired by God asks to continue the trial: "Then all the people returned in haste. And the elders said to him, ´Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you that right.´ And Daniel said to them, ´Separate them far from each other, and I will examine them.´" Daniel 13:50-51.
It is then that Daniel finds the error, when examining the two testimonies of the accusers separately, he finds a contradictory difference between them, which allows him to affirm the falsity of the accusations. This is how Daniel, inspired by God, saves Susana's life: "And from that day onward Daniel had a great reputation among the people." Daniel 13:64.
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