Daily Readings - Wed Apr 01 2020
Daniel
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
John
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 narratives that highlight the transformative power of faith and trust in God. The first reading from Daniel recounts the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who faced a fiery furnace rather than worship a pagan statue. Their unwavering faith in God's deliverance, even in the face of certain death, ultimately led to their miraculous rescue. This story, set during the Babylonian exile, underscores the Jews' commitment to their faith amidst oppression.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks to Jewish believers about spiritual freedom through abiding in His word. Despite their claim of descent from Abraham, Jesus emphasizes that true freedom comes from trusting in Him, as sin enslaves. Their dialogue reveals a deeper spiritual truth: freedom is not about lineage but about relationship with God.
Both readings connect through the theme of liberation—physical in Daniel and spiritual in John. They remind us that faith in God leads to freedom from both external threats and internal sin. In our daily lives, this means standing firm in our beliefs, even when pressured to conform, and trusting God to guide us. The moral lesson is clear: true freedom is found in trusting and following God, not in worldly powers or sin. Let us embrace this freedom, allowing our faith to transform our lives.