Three men who stood up for their faith

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today’s reading (Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95) tells the story of three men who stood up for their faith. They were commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar to bow down and worship a false god that he had cast of gold. The three replied: “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!” King Nebuchadnezzar was infuriated by their response and through the three of them into the furnace. As you can imagine, their faith protected them from the fires of the furnace. This same furnace which was used to melt the gold to make the idol, could not melt the three men. When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace he saw “four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a Son of God.” We have to make a choice in our life, are we going to become a slave to our sin and burn in the fires of hell or are we going to put our trust in God. If we trust God, if we commit ourselves to a holy prayerful life, God will protect us from the fires of sin. The Lord will “send his servant to deliver us.” This story goes even deeper, the faith and loyalty exhibited by the three men also had a purifying effect on Nebuchadnezzar. Once he witnessed the power and awe of the Lord, he was converted. So our faith is not only healing for us, it is healing for others. In today’s Gospel (John 8:31-42) Jesus teaches us that “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” What will the truth set us free from. “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” Since we are all sinners, we are all slaves to these sins. The three men in the reading remained in the word of Lord and they were shown the truth and the truth set them free from the fires of sin. We are also asked to become faithful and to open our eyes to “know the truth.” So how do we come to know the truth? It is as simple as prayer. Not just a simple thank you God, which is not a bad to way begin, but a sincere commitment to prayer and reflection. Do you pray in the morning? Do you pray during the day? Do you ask God for forgiveness for the sins you have committed. It is the Lord who will set you free from these sins. As we have discussed in the past, daily examination of ones conscience is the best way to identify and come to realize the sins which burn in our body. Once we become aware of these sins, we can protect ourselves from their fire by a sincere commitment to the Lord our God. As our body needs physical exercise to remain healthy, so does our spiritual body need exercise. Prayer is the exercises that will help our spiritual body grow. Be committed to prayer; be committed to an examination of conscience; have faith in our Lord and he will protect you from the fires of sins you have become enslaved. We are now one week and one day away from the Tridium, the beginning of the Passion of Christ. Today, take time to reflect back on Lent and evaluate how you are doing. It is okay to have fallen. It is okay to have sinned. When we look forward to Holy Thursday and the celebration of the Last Supper, have we emptied our bodies of the sins that have enslaved us? There is still time to fulfill our commitment. Our God is ever merciful; he waits for us with out-stretched arms. Lay your sins of the Table of Last Supper for it is at this Supper that Jesus committed his body and blood for our salvation. This Sunday during your time with Andy, you will experience the Passion of Christ. This movie portrays the true depth of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Jesus deeply agonized over coming events and prostrated himself to his Father in Heaven to give him strength. We should also prostrate ourselves and ask for strength because the sacrifice of the cross is a serious one. A Simple Prayer Father, I want to hate sin. I no longer want to tolerate it or water down its effects. Lord, help me to keep my conscience sharp. Give me the grace I need to live in freedom from bondage. Holy Spirit, come and keep me in the truth of Christ, protect me from the fires of hell, because I simply cannot do it on my own. Yours in Christ Michael Marcon