First Reading - Daniel 3:14-28
Gospel - John 8:31-42
The gospel passage throws a challenge to us to persevere in our faith. Jesus tells those Jews who believed in him to make his word their homes to be his true disciples and be set free. Thereby, Jesus poses a condition to discipleship and proposes reward of remaining truthful to it. The condition is to 'make the word of Jesus ones's home'. It means allowing the word of Jesus to remain and effect change in oneself. It also refers to perseverance or steadfastness in believing and carrying out the word of Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus proposes that it's perseverance in faith in his word and in him will lead the believers to the truth of the Father and liberate them from the clutches or slavery of sins. Therefore, Jesus affirms that his true disciples (those who persevere in faith in him and carry out his word) will never be led astray from the truth and never become the slave of sins. The perseverance in faith and steadfastness in carrying out the words of Jesus, this Jesus calls as making his word our homes, can be better understood by the example of the three young men of the first reading.
Today’s first reading, taken from the book of the prophet Daniel, tells us how King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a 90 feet tall and 3 feet thick golden statue built, then commanded all his subjects to bow down in adoration before it as a test of loyalty. Many Jews did so, fearing persecution and death. But three young Jewish men, who were favorites of the king and were employed by the King in the royal court, refused to worship the statue because of their religious belief in one God, Yahweh. Hence, they were thrown into a fiery furnace to die. There, Yahweh their God protected them, as they were ready to sacrifice their lives rather than turn their backs on Him. It was their persevering faith through a great hardship, their loyal allegiance to God and their obedience to His will that saved them.
Dear friends, we believe in God and the teachings of Jesus. Jesus addresses those Jews who believed in him to persevere in what they believed. This is to say, their faith must be lived everyday according to it. Furthermore, it's not merely by believing in him, they can be his true disciples but by putting into practicing the teachings of him in their daily life (this is called making his word our home). To remain faithful to the words of Jesus everyday needs perseverance. This persevering faith is demonstrated by the three young men who were ready to die rather than compromise with their faith. We do need perseverance in living our faith. We experience some moments in our lives when we do compromise with the teachings of Jesus for our selfish reasons and short-lived pleasures. The three young men didn't compromise with their faith for their short life that they could have lived if they consented to the demands of the king but they continued to trust in God and God saved them. Jesus is challenging us today that it's not enough that we only believe with our mind in the truth of Jesus but it's imperative that we live everyday what Jesus has taught us. This is how we can be true disciples of Jesus and come to the truth in Jesus and be free from the slavery of sins.
Let's implore God's grace to persevere in our faith by living everyday what Jesus has taught us.
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