＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95*

 King Nebu­chadnezzar ques­tioned them,

“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up? If you hear now the sound of horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and other instruments, will you fall down and worship the statue I made?

If you won’t, you know the punishment: you will im­mediately be thrown into a burning furnace. And then what god can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered, “King Ne­buchad­nez­zar, we need not defend ourselves before you on this matter. 

If you order us to be thrown into the furnace, the God we serve will rescue us. But even if he won’t, we would like you to know, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

 Nebuchadnezzar’s face reddened with fury as he looked at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of his strongest soldiers to bind Shad­rach, Mes­hach and Abed­­nego and throw them into the burning furnace. 

Then King Nebuchadnezzar suddenly rose up in great amazement and asked his counselors, “Did we not throw three men bound into the fire?” They answered, “Cer­tainly.” The king said, “But I can see four men walking about free­­­ly through the fire without suffering any harm, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Bles­sed be the God of Shadrach, Mes­hach and Abednego who sent his angel to free his servants who, trust­ing in him, disobeyed the king’s order and preferred to give their bodies to the fire rather than serve and worship any other god but their God.

 

Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

Glory and praise for ever.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 8:31-42

 Jesus went on to say to the Jews who believed in him: “You will be my true disciples if you keep my word. Then you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are the descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean by saying: You will be free?”

 Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave. But the slave doesn’t stay in the house forever; the son stays forever. So, if the Son makes you free, you will be really free.

 I know that you are the descendants of Abraham; yet you want to kill me because my word finds no place in you. For my part I speak of what I have seen in the Father’s presence, but you do what you have learned from your father.”

 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Then Jesus said, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. But now you want to kill me, the one who tells you the truth – the truth that I have learned from God. That is not what Abraham did; what you are doing are the works of your father.”

The Jews said to him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one Father, God.” Jesus replied, “If God were your Father you would love me, for I came forth from God, and I am here. And I didn’t come by my own decision, but it was he himself who sent me.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Truth and our reception of the truth is what sets us free. It is not dependent on blood relations or other human conventions such as status, education and wealth.

Freedom in its basic sense is freedom of movement, expression and freedom to dream and realize one’s dreams to the best of one’s capacities. But there is a kind of freedom that is not dependent on any of these.

It is the inner freedom of the person to be. This freedom starts with the confrontation of truth. This is the freedom that Jesus tries to bring to others. He leads them to the truth. Sadly, truth is so lonely in this world.

That is why His audience engages Him in verbal combat. They cannot accept the truth that it is through Jesus that they can realize their deepest freedom. They cling to their status as Abraham’s children, the chosen of God. hence their privileged status because of God’s gracious love becomes an obstacle to know the Truth of God before them.