Daily Readings - Wed Mar 24 2021
Daniel
13Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.14Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.19Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.20And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
John
31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.37I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.38I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.41Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Sermon
The readings today present powerful narratives of faith, freedom, and the transformative power of God. In the first reading, we hear the story of 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 deliver them. Miraculously, they are saved, and the king himself comes to acknowledge the power of their God. This story reminds us of the enduring strength of faith in the face of adversity.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Jews who believed in him, offering a profound teaching about freedom. He says, "If you abide in my word, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." The Jews, however, resist this idea, clinging to their identity as descendants of Abraham and rejecting the notion of slavery. Jesus responds by highlighting the slavery of sin and the true freedom that comes through him. This exchange underscores the spiritual freedom that only God can offer, a freedom that transcends earthly identities and circumstances.
Both readings invite us to reflect on the nature of true freedom and the courage required to live by faith. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we are called to stand firm in our beliefs, even when the world around us demands compromise. And like the Jews in the Gospel, we must confront the ways in which sin can enslave us, trusting instead in the liberating power of Christ. May we seek to abide in God's truth, allowing it to set us free from all that binds us, and may we live with the courage and faith to follow Him, no matter the cost.