Readings: Daniel 3; Responsorial, Daniel 3; John 8:31-42
Today’s readings begin with an encounter between three faithful Hebrews -- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego -- and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. They were asked to worship a golden idol. Their response to the king is calm, measured, and clear: “If our God, whom we serve, is able to save us from the furnace … let him save us! But if not, let it be known … we will not serve your god … or worship the golden statue ….” No fear or compromise -- just plain commitment to follow the truth. They were not eager to become martyrs, but they had chosen to follow God wherever he would lead them. This enraged the king.
This is a story about faithfulness. I am reminded of a verse from Sirach: “Woe to craven hearts and drooping hands, to the sinner who treads a double path.” (2: 12). Tenson or the lack of harmony between the truth and our willingness to live by the truth gets sorted out eventually, hopefully sooner than later.
We may not face a fiery furnace, but we have similar tensions caused by demands to conform to the world rather than to the truth of our faith. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, let us follow their example not to compromise but instead to persevere. Their witness caused the king to repent!
Today’s Gospel presents tough words by Jesus to some good folks who already “believed in him”. They believed, but belief did not produce understanding. I also get that feeling sometimes. But Jesus did not mince words about the tension between how they thought of themselves and the reality of their condition. I sometimes hear people say, “I’d like to think that….” Of course, we would like to think many things, but that does not make them true! I am also one of those people. It is hard to see ourselves as we are, particularly when we need mercy and forgiveness for our faults and flaws.