Daily Readings - Wed Mar 20 2024
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
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 faced the fiery furnace rather than worship a false idol. Their unwavering trust in God, even in the face of death, is a testament to the power of faith. The second reading from John’s Gospel finds Jesus teaching about the true freedom that comes from knowing and living the truth. He challenges those who believed in Him to abide in His word, emphasizing that sin enslaves, while the Son offers liberation.
Both readings highlight the tension between external pressures and internal conviction. In Daniel, the three men refuse to conform to Nebuchadnezzar’s demands, trusting in God’s deliverance. Similarly, Jesus in John’s Gospel calls His followers to stand firm against the slavery of sin, offering a freedom rooted in truth. This connection underscores the universal struggle between conforming to the world and living according to one’s faith.
In our daily lives, we face similar choices. We may encounter pressures to compromise our values or beliefs. These readings remind us to stand firm in our faith, trusting in God’s providence. True freedom is not the absence of challenges but the courage to live according to God’s will. As we reflect on these stories, let us seek the strength to remain faithful, knowing that our ultimate freedom comes from abiding in Christ.