WEDNESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are those who,
with a noble and generous heart,
take the word of God to themselves
and yield a harvest through their perseverance. LK 8:15

DANIEL 3:14-20,24-25,28 ©

My Soul's Beloved, 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are shining examples and authentic witnesses to the Truth. All too often, through the ages, men and women have submitted to the power of men when put to the test out of fear of punishment. 

When King Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to bow down and worship the idol he had erected or be burned alive as there was no god who could deliver them, they boldly professed their faith in the Living God. This was their response: ‘Your question hardly requires an answer: if our God, the one we serve, is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace and from your power, O king, he will save us; and even if he does not, then you must know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the statue you have erected.’

This so enraged the king that he commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter heated than usual. He had the three men bound and thrown into the flames. 

Evil rages impotently when faced with men and women of unswerving faith who are incorruptible whether or not You they will be saved from temporary difficulties or trouble because they know the One in whom they have placed their faith, hope, and trust. Sacred Scripture assures us that a mustard seed of faith in You has the power to move mountains as King Nebuchadnezzar and those with him witnessed in amazement that day. ‘Did we not have these three men thrown bound into the fire? But I can see four men walking about freely in the heart of the fire without coming to any harm. And the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’

Over and over again, Beloved, You have worked marvels in our lives as well when we have had a childlike faith in You. But all too often we allow our circumstances to rob us of this faith and we drown in fear. In such moments grant us the grace to recall past favors when time and time again You rescued us and saved us and our faith will be strengthened anew.  

JOHN 8:31-42 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We are only ever truly free when we refuse to be enslaved to the passions of the flesh, the culture we live in, the things we possess, and the insidious wiles of the ancient enemy. You speak to us clearly and plainly in the Gospel reflection for today - 

‘If you make my word your home

you will indeed be my disciples,
you will learn the truth
and the truth will make you free.’

You are the Eternal Word of the Father and by the power of the Word of God all things that are, came to be. All that the Father has to say is said in One Word, You, His Eternal Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. You make Your home in us, Beloved if we permit Your Word to do so. You desire nothing more than to make our hearts Your abode and when we do we will discover that nothing in this world, no calamity that strikes us, no evil that threatens us will overpower us because You fight our battles for us. In all circumstances, You have the power to draw good because we are children of God and heirs to the Kingdom.

In baptism we are grafted to Your Body, we eat Your flesh and drink Your blood in the Holy Eucharist and receive divine life and grace, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation we are made a new creation each time we are forgiven and we can begin anew. Grace streams upon us because the Holy Spirit dwells in us. We address God as Abba just as You taught us to and because we believe that You were sent into the world by God to save and redeem us by Your passion, death, and glorious resurrection into heaven. In You, O Lord, we place all our hope and trust. We are members of the Church You established which is Your body, and the Father is ever attentive to our voice and grants us all we ask for in Your Name because we believe.