March 31, 2004 - Wednesday, 5th Week of Lent

The Truth Will Set You Free Believe Like Abraham

Readings:
Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56; Jn 8:31-42

Introduction

Persons who trust in God fight enslavement to sin. In the face of abuse of authority, persecution or coercion of any kind, even of tradition or of the law, they retain their inner freedom. When they hear and keep God’s Word, they make a decision for freedom. The liberating word of Christ sets us free and makes us sons and daughters. God’s children are born to be free. The three young men at the king’s court were willing to lay down their lives for their faith. Like the faith of Abraham, our faith in Jesus should be deep and unconditional.

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
you call us to be free people.
Help us to give you always
a response of freedom.
Set free by Christ’s
liberating word and death,
may we never again
shackle ourselves with self-made chains,
of selfish sin and false attachments.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Scripture Readings

First Reading: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

King Nebuchadnezzar said:
"Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?"
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
"There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
in this matter.
If our God, whom we serve,
can save us from the white-hot furnace
and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god
or worship the golden statue that you set up."

King Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
"Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?"
"Assuredly, O king," they answered.
"But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God."
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God."

Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R (52b) Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."
R Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R Glory and praise for ever!
"Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."
R Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim;
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."
R Glory and praise for ever!

"Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever."
R Glory and praise for ever!

Gospel Reading: Jn 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."

Commentary

"THE truth will make you free" is hard medicine. We would all prefer to be free by an easier method: by escaping the harder realities. We escape out of ourselves or into ourselves, according to temperament. We have multiplied and varied the means of escape in the modern world: many of our technical advances are means of escaping not only from the past but also from the present. However, in psychotherapy we know that healing depends on a return to the truth of ourselves.

Here is a good rule: the answer is in the question, the solution is in the problem. It is not by escaping a question that we come to the answer, but by going deeply into it; it is not by escaping a problem that we solve it, but by staying with it. If I have one problem and I am upset by that fact, then I have two problems! If I begin to run away from it, I have three! While I am running I will be unhappy and frightened and I will certainly cause many further problems for myself and for others. Better to return to having just one. By staying with it-and not forcing a solution-there will be a shift, the solution will be there (see February 26). Then we will know for ourselves that it is only the truth that sets us free.

General Intercessions

–   For those who are persecuted for their faith, that they may stand firm, even in torture, we pray:

–   For all who claim to be descendants of Abraham, Jews, Christians, Moslems, that each in one’s own way may have deep trust in God, we pray:

–   For people who have to make hard decisions in life, that they may follow their conscience in doing what is truthful, right and good, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God,
your Son Jesus could not be deprived
of his inner freedom
even when he died on a cross.
Give us the courage of your Son,
that our loyalty to the truth,
to you and to your values,
may always be strong enough
to make us break out of our self-made prisons,
our fears, complexes and excuses.
Accept this our sacrifice
and let it make us free with the freedom
brought us by Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord God,
we are your sons and daughters
reborn in Christ to be free.
Help us to set our brothers and sisters free
from any sinful slavery
that oppresses or exploits them.
Give us the courage to speak out
and to do all we can
to bring justice and human dignity to all
in the strength of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

May God give us the grace to keep believing in the truth of the gospel, that this truth may make us always free and joyful people. May almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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