Daily Readings - Wed Mar 29 2023
Daniel
13Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king.14Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?15Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.17If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.18But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.20And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
John
31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."33They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"34Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.37I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.38I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father."39They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did,40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.41You are doing what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father--even God."42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but He sent me.
Sermon
The readings today present us with powerful lessons about faith, freedom, and the ultimate triumph of God’s truth over human oppression. In the first reading from Daniel, we encounter Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three young men who refuse to worship the golden statue erected by King Nebuchadnezzar. Despite the king’s fury and the threat of being cast into a fiery furnace, they remain steadfast in their faith, trusting that God will rescue them. Their courage is rewarded when an angel of the Lord protects them in the furnace, leaving them unharmed. This story reminds us that true freedom comes from trusting in God’s providence, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to those who believe in him, offering a profound teaching about the nature of truth and freedom. He says, “If you abide in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and the truth will set you free.” The Jews, however, resist this message, clinging to their earthly heritage as descendants of Abraham. Jesus challenges them, pointing out that true freedom is not about physical lineage but about living in accordance with God’s truth. He makes it clear that sin enslaves us, but through him, we can be set free. This passage invites us to reflect on whether we are truly living as disciples of Jesus, unshackled from the bonds of sin and committed to his teachings.
Both readings call us to examine our own lives. Are we willing to stand firm in our faith, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, even when it means facing challenges or ridicule? Are we open to the truth that Jesus offers, or do we cling to our own comfort zones and false sense of security? The moral lesson is clear: true freedom comes from trusting in God and living according to his will. Let us pray for the courage to embrace this freedom, knowing that God’s truth will always prevail.