First Reading - Daniel 3:14-28
Gospel - John 8:31-42
The Gospel passage throws a challenge before us: to persevere in our faith. Jesus tells the Jews who believed in Him that if they make His word their home, they will be His true disciples and will be set free. In this statement, Jesus places a condition for discipleship and offers a reward for remaining faithful. The condition is to make the word of Jesus our home. This means allowing His word to dwell within us and transform us. It speaks of perseverance—of remaining steadfast in our belief and in living out His teachings.
Jesus further explains that perseverance in His word will lead believers to the truth of the Father and will liberate them from the bondage of sin. Thus, His true disciples—those who remain in His word—will not be misled by falsehood and will not fall into the slavery of sin. This steadfast faith, which Jesus calls "making His word our home," is beautifully illustrated in today’s first reading.
The first reading, from the Book of Daniel, tells the story of three young Jewish men living in Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. When the king built a 90-foot tall golden statue and ordered everyone to bow before it, these three men—though favored by the king and serving in his court—refused to worship the idol, remaining faithful to the one true God, Yahweh. As a result, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. But God, in His mercy, saved them. Their perseverance in faith, their unwavering loyalty to God, and their courage to obey Him, even in the face of death, brought about their salvation.
Dear friends, we too believe in God and in the teachings of Jesus. Just as Jesus addressed the Jews who believed in Him, He addresses us today: persevere in what you believe. Faith must be lived out each day. Believing in Jesus with our minds is not enough—we must live according to His teachings in our daily lives. This is what it means to make His word our home.
To remain faithful to Jesus' words requires perseverance. Like the three young men in the furnace, we are called to stand firm in our faith, especially in moments of trial and temptation. Often, we are tempted to compromise our faith for selfish reasons or fleeting pleasures. But these young men chose to lose their lives rather than deny their God—and God rescued them. Jesus reminds us today that true discipleship is not merely intellectual belief, but a committed and persevering life of faith. This is what leads us to truth and frees us from the slavery of sin.
Let us ask God for the grace to persevere in our faith by living, each day, what Jesus has taught us.
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