Daily Readings - Wed Mar 21 2018

First Reading - Daniel 3.13-20, 24, 49-50, 91-95

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar, in fury and in wrath, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should be brought, and so, without delay, they were brought before the king¹⁴And king Nebuchadnezzar addressed them and said, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the gold statue, which I have set up?¹⁵Therefore, if you are prepared now, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, pipe, lute, harp and psaltery, and of the symphony and every kind of music, prostrate yourselves and adore the statue which I have made. But if you will not adore, in the same hour you will be cast into the furnace of burning fire. And who is the God that will rescue you from my hand?"¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to king Nebuchadnezzar, "It is not right for us to obey you in this matter¹⁷For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to rescue us from the oven of burning fire and to free us from your hands, O king¹⁸But even if he will not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your gods, nor adore the gold statue, which you have raised up."¹⁹Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury and the appearance of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated to seven times its usual fire²⁰And he ordered the strongest men of his army to bind the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire²⁴And they were walking in the midst of the flame, praising God and blessing the Lord⁴⁹But the angel of the Lord descended with Azariah and his companions into the furnace; and he cast the flame of the fire out of the furnace⁵⁰And he made the middle of the furnace like the blowing of a damp wind, and the fire did not touch them, nor afflict them, nor bother them at all⁹¹Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and he quickly got up and said to his nobles: "Did we not cast three men shackled into the midst of the fire?" Answering the king, they said, "True, O king.⁹²He answered and said, "Behold, I see four men unbound and walking in the midst of the fire, and no harm is in them, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of God.⁹³Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the entrance of the furnace of burning fire, and he said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the supreme God, come out and approach." And immediately Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went out from the midst of the fire⁹⁴And when the governors, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the powerful of the king had gathered together, they considered these men because the fire had no power against their bodies, and not a hair of their head had been scorched, and their pants had not been affected, and the smell of the fire had not passed onto them⁹⁵Then Nebuchadnezzar, bursting out, said, "Blessed is their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants who believed in him. And they altered the verdict of the king, and they delivered up their bodies, so that they would not serve or adore any god except their God

Gospel - John 8.31-42

John

Chapter 8

³¹Therefore, Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him: "If you will abide in my word, you will truly be my disciples³²And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.³³They answered him: "We are the offspring of Abraham, and we have never been a slave to anyone. How can you say, ‘You shall be set free?’ ³⁴Jesus answered them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin³⁵Now the slave does not abide in the house for eternity. Yet the Son does abide in eternity³⁶Therefore, if the Son has set you free, then you will truly be free³⁷I know that you are sons of Abraham. But you are seeking to kill me, because my word has not taken hold in you³⁸I speak what I have seen with my Father. And you do what you have seen with your father.³⁹They responded and said to him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them: "If you are the sons of Abraham, then do the works of Abraham⁴⁰But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you, which I have heard from God. This is not what Abraham did⁴¹You do the works of your father." Therefore, they said to him: "We were not born out of fornication. We have one father: God.⁴²Then Jesus said to them: "If God were your father, certainly you would love me. For I proceeded and came from God. For I did not come from myself, but he sent me

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful stories of faith and freedom. The first reading from Daniel recounts the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to worship a golden statue despite King Nebuchadnezzar's decree. Their unwavering faith in God led them to be thrown into a fiery furnace, yet they were miraculously saved by an angel. This act of deliverance not only amazed the king but also led him to acknowledge the power of their God. The Gospel from John presents Jesus discussing spiritual freedom with Jewish believers. Jesus emphasizes that true freedom comes from abiding in his word and recognizing that sin enslaves. He challenges them to look beyond their lineage and instead follow God's truth, which only he can provide. Both readings highlight the theme of freedom, though in different contexts. Daniel's story is set during the Babylonian exile, illustrating the Jews' resistance to idolatry and their trust in God's deliverance. John's narrative, on the other hand, focuses on spiritual freedom through Jesus, emphasizing that true liberation is from sin, not physical bondage. Together, they remind us that freedom is not just physical but deeply spiritual, requiring faith and adherence to God's will. In our daily lives, we face similar choices between conforming to the world or standing firm in our faith. Like the three men in Daniel, we must trust God even in the face of adversity. Jesus teaches us that sin enslaves, but through him, we can be free. This freedom calls us to live according to God's truth, rejecting the pressures of the world and embracing His grace. The moral lesson is clear: true freedom is found in trusting and following God, living according to His truth, and not being bound by sin or worldly pressures.