Readings & Reflections: Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent & St. Magdalene of Canossa, April 10,2019

In today’s reading from the Book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego “yielded their bodies rather than serve any god except their own God.” God “looks into the depths” of obedience; he enables his faithful to walk in fire unhurt. “The truth will set you free.” We beg the “Son of God” to accompany us in our flames.

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord, write your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a diligent student and a worthy disciple of your word.” In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

Reading 1
Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

King Nebuchadnezzar said:
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
“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!
But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god
or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
“Assuredly, O king,” they answered.
“But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God.”

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim;
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!

Gospel
Jn 8:31-42

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“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.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”

They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Speak the truth

Those who speak the truth most often get themselves into trouble. Although the prophet Jeremiah was a nobleman and a government leader, he eventually found himself in jail as he spoke the truth to his peers. They just did not want to hear the truth because it called for a painful re-thinking of their country’s destiny and of their own personal careers. Those in power were not about to give up their privileged status so easily, so in their anger and in their determination to maintain the status quo, they threw Jeremiah in prison to shut him up. But the truth that Jeremiah had spoken could not be silenced. The nation collapsed as he had predicted.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood by their faith amidst the persecution by Nebuchadnezzar. They chose to disobey the royal command and yielded their bodies to suffer and be punished rather than serve or “worship any god except their own god.” They spoke and lived the truth thus God set them free!

Our Lord Jesus Who is truth Himself spoke the truth. We all know that He suffered and was put to death because of truth.

There are a number of reasons why man can ignore or refuse the truth. Fear, ego, pride, and self-interest are just some of the prime culprits. That is why we normally may find the truth in varied forms, most often quite distorted in different forms and shapes depending on who presents the “truth.” But we have to realize that we will never grow whole, we can never grow into the best that God wants us to be, we will never be set free, unless we face the truth and embrace the whole of it, whatever it may be.

Today, as His followers, Jesus wants us to abide by His Word and to live in the Spirit of truth whom the Father sends in His Name and Who leads into all the truth. Jesus said: “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.” God is asking us to examine our lives.. He challenges to us ponder our actions – are they always congruent with what we claim to believe and who we claim to be?  Do we really stand and speak the TRUTH?

Jesus teaches all of us the unconditional love of truth. Jesus wants us to be true from the inside out as from truthfulness on the inside will spring forth not only words that are true, but also deeds that are true. Deeds, which in their righteousness and goodness, shout to the whole world what really matters; deeds that proclaim to the whole world that God is present in us and is living in the hearts of his people.

If we bear God’s truth in our hearts, if we have Christ in us, we will certainly be set free!

Direction

Have a firm resolve to present things just as they are, nothing more… nothing less. Speak the TRUTH. Never bear false witness against a neighbor.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, make me true and authentic from inside out, so that my every word and deed may speak the truth that I have in You. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Reflection 2 – Truth and freedom

What saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed’nego from the fiery furnace – obedience to God’s will. They were willing to suffer death rather than disobey their God. God was with them in the fiery furnace and he rewarded them for their faithfulness. Jesus came to do the will of his Father in heaven. He was not spared the cross which he willing embraced for our sake. His obedience reversed the curse of Adam’s disobedience. The Father crowned him with victory over sin, death, and Satan. Jesus shows us the way to true freedom and victory – by freely submitting our heart, mind, and will to an all-merciful, all-loving, and all-wise God. What the Father offers us in exchange is a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans14:17).The happiest, freest people are those who delight in God. Their joy is the pleasure of doing the Father’s will. Do you know the joy of obeying God and trusting in his life-giving word?

The world presents us with a false notion of truth and freedom – “truth is relative so I choose my own criteria for what is true” and freedom means “I can do whatever I please – regardless of what God or others might think.” This is really a mask for slavery to one’s passions and unruly desires. Jesus offers his disciples true freedom – freedom from slavery to pride and arrogance – disbelief and ignorance – selfishness and greed – hatred and revenge – fear and anxiety – despair and depression – and a host of many other hurtful desires and addictions which cripple our lives. The good news is that Jesus Christ has truly set us free from sin and its destructive force in our lives. How is this possible? Through the gift and power of the Holy Spirit we can choose to renounce sin and we can yield to God’s grace which enables us to walk each day and each moment in Christ’s way of love and holiness. A disciple is a follower and a listener. If we want to follower Christ and live as his disciples, then we must listen to the words of Jesus, with a humble and teachable spirit. As we listen with faith and obey with trust, Christ himself gives us grace – the enabling power of his Holy Spirit – to live, think, and act in the truth of his word. Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change your life and to set you free to walk in Christ’s way of love and holiness? .

“Lord Jesus, write your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a diligent student and a worthy disciple of your word.”

Reflection 3 – The truth set us free

Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free”(Jn 8:31-32). How can we be free from suffering or death? Even if God sent suffering or loss Habakkuk said, “I will still rejoice and be glad”(Habakkuk 3:17-18). Here’s an experience of a man and said, “I don’t know if I could stand the pain of losing my parents.” But I told God that day that even when they died I would rejoice in Him. I found out too soon that it’s easier said than done. A month later, Dad learned he had heart disease and didn’t have long to live. He didn’t know Jesus as his Savior, so I begged God not to let him die without coming to know Him. Not only did he die that year, so did Mom, who was a believer. I didn’t know if my prayer for Dad was answered. I wondered if God had even heard my prayer. As I wrestled with Him about my questions, I experienced the Lord as my “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”(Ps 46:1). I found hope in the truth that God, “the Judge of all the earth,” would do what was right by everyone. (Gen 18:25).

In the Book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were saved from the fiery furnace by their obedience to God’s will. They were willing to suffer death rather than disobey their God. God was with them in the fiery furnace and God rewarded them for their faithfulness. Likewise, Jesus came to do the will of his Father. He was not spared the cross which he willingly embraced for our sake. His obedience reversed the curse of Adam’s disobedience. The Father crowned him with victory over sin, death, and Satan. Jesus shown us the way to true freedom and victory – freely submitting our heart, mind and will to an all-merciful, all-loving, and all-wise God. What the Father offers us is a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). The happiest people are those who delight in God. Their joy is the pleasure of doing the Father’s will. This is the truth of the teaching of Jesus: to know the joy of submission to God.

Jesus offers his disciples true freedom – freedom from the slavery of selfishness, freedom from fear, especially the fear of what others might think of us, and freedom from hurtful desires and the power of sin. How is this possible? If we listen to the words of Jesus, with a humble and teachable spirit, he will give us the grace and the power to follow in his way of holiness. Through the gift and power of the Holy Spirit we can choose to walk in Christ’s way of love and holiness.

Let’s examine ourselves and pray, “Lord, write your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a worthy disciple of your word.”

Reflection 4 – The truth will make you free

Do you know the joy, peace, and freedom which God offers to those who trust in him and obey his word? God sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring us God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Jesus came to rescue us from our sinful pride and slavery to sin. He came to rescue us from Satan’s snares and the clutches of hell, and to free us from the world’s temptation to empty glory and lust for greed and power. Only Jesus can truly set us free and reconcile us with God – every other way falls short of God’s plan to save and deliver us from death, corruption, and sin.

Why did the religious authorities reject Jesus’s offer of freedom, forgiveness, and new life in the kingdom of God? Despite Jesus’ numerous signs and miracles, the Jewish authorities could not accept his claim to speak and act in the name of his heavenly Father. They were blinded by their misguided ideas of how the Messiah would restore Israel and rule the earth. And Jesus revealed to them how Satan had led them into temptation – both to reject him as the Messiah and to thwart his claim by killing him.

Jesus met their opposition and hostility with courage and determination to do his Father’s will. He willingly embraced the cross in order to destroy the works of Satan and to save both Jews and Gentiles through his atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Jesus shows us the way to the kingdom of God – through faith and obedience to God’s word and will for our lives. To be a follower and disciple of the Lord Jesus requires faith and obedience – they are two sides of the same coin. The word disciple literally means one who learns from the Master and who listens to the voice of the Teacher. And the word for obedience literally means to listen under and be subordinate to the one who has rightful authority to teach and command what is just and true.

The free gift of faith
How can we grow in faith and discipleship – by faithfully following the Lord and obeying his word. Faith is a free supernatural gift of God. It is more than just a belief in the truths of God. It is first and foremost a personal relationship of trust and obedience to the Lord and his word. The Lord is worthy of our complete trust and wholehearted devotion because he is utterly reliable, just and true, and he is faithful to his word. That is why we can entrust our lives to him and submit to him without reservation.

God does not leave us in the dark or remain distant and silent. He reveals himself to all who earnestly seek him and hunger for his truth. God, in fact, first seeks us out and draws us to himself. We could not find him if he did not first seek to reveal himself to us. That is why we need to respond to God’s gracious gift of invitation with an open and receptive heart that wants to listen, learn, and receive what God wishes to give us. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said, “I believe, in order to understand – and I understand, the better to believe” (Sermon 43:7,9).

The test of faith
In the Old Testament Book of Daniel we see a remarkable example of faith being put to the test in the midst of trial and adversity. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three young companions of Daniel, were commanded by the king of Persia to bow down and submit to the pagan idols of his nation, they unhesitatingly said, “We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:18). They knew God’s command, “Do not worship false idols”(Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 12:29-31). They decided it was far better to obey God and entrust their lives to him rather than give in to the threats of others. God gave them courage to take a bold stand for their faith. They willingly accepted the King’s punishment as they were bound and thrown into a burning fiery furnace.

Daniel tells us how God was very present to these three young men as they proclaimed their faith in him. God showed his presence to the three men and walked with them in the fiery furnace. As a remarkable sign of God’s power to the pagan rulers of Persia, God kept the three men from harm and delivered them from death (Daniel 3:25,28). Do you trust in God to give you his help and strength when your faith is put to the test?

True and false sources of identity
The scribes and Pharisees, who were the religious authorities of the Jews, questioned Jesus’ authority to speak and act in God’s name. They questioned Jesus’ claim to forgive sins and to set people free from slavery to sin. They understood that only God had power to forgive sins and to release people from their burden of guilt and shame. They refused to accept that Jesus’ authority was given to him by his Father in heaven. Jesus tells them that they think evil of him and desire to kill him because they are under the influence and power of the “father of lies” who is opposed to the one true Father and Creator who made us in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).

Jesus explains that he is speaking of two different senses of “fatherhood”. The first is a physical identity through natural fatherhood. And the second and more significant identity is a self-chosen one that is the result of being led and formed in a moral way of thinking and living one’s life that has been shaped through the example, words, and influence of someone we are consciously or unconsciously following and imitating.

We do not grow or learn in a vacuum. We are shaped for better or for worse by those we choose to imitate and follow. Sin leads us away from God’s truth and the help he gives us to follow him. Slavery to sin is ultimately rooted in the father of lies (John 8:44), whom Scripture calls the devil (Luke 4:1) and Satan (Luke 10:18), the ruler of this present world who is opposed to God (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4).

True freedom comes from God
The freedom which Jesus offers his followers is freedom from the power of sin, Satan, and the worldly influence of those who oppose God and his ways. We are powerless to set ourselves free from bondage to Satan, sin, and death (Romans 3:23; 5:6). That is why the Lord Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5-6; Colossians 2:14). His death on the cross has won victory and pardon for us, and peace with God. Through Jesus’ sacrifice we are not only forgiven and reconciled with God – we become the adopted sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:14-16). We can call God our Father because the Lord Jesus has reconciled us and redeemed us from slavery to sin and Satan.

A redeemed slave is not entirely free until all of his chains and weights have been broken and destroyed. The Lord Jesus alone has the power to release us from every chain and burden that would keep us in bondage to sinful habits and hurtful desires. Are there any chains – any sinful patterns, harmful attitudes, and addictive behavior – that you need to be released from? Allow the Lord Jesus to unbind you and bring you healing, pardon, and freedom to walk in his way of love and truth. The Lord Jesus sets us free from slavery to our own selfishness and sinful desires in order to set us free for a joy-filled life of love and service for his kingdom. Paul the Apostle reminds us that Christ has won freedom for each one of us – not to serve ourselves or do as we please – but rather to please the Lord and to serve our neighbors in love for their sake (Galatians 5:1,13). Do you accept and believe Christ’s word of truth, love, and freedom for your life?

“Lord Jesus, write your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a diligent student and a worthy disciple of your word.” –Read the source:  http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2018/apr10.htm

Reflection 5 – The truth will set you free

The discussion between Jesus and the Jews deals with the difference between the slavery of sin and the freedom of children of God. Jesus links knowing the truth and living in the truth with freedom: those who follow him as his disciples will share in his divine sonship and truly be free.

John tells us that Jesus is speaking with Jews who believe in him. The Jews, however, are hesitant to accept Jesus’ teaching and answer back that they consider themselves free, not because they follow him, but  because they are descendants of Abraham. Jesus wants to correct this superficial vision of things and bring them to a deeper understanding of divine sonship and its freedom.

Freedom, Jesus teaches, does not depend on descending from Abraham according to the flesh. Jesus brings this point out by alluding to the story of Abraham’s two sons: Ishmael, born of the slave Hagar, and Isaac, born of Sarah his wife. Paul will take up this same theme in the Letter to the Romans and write that not all are children of Abraham because they are his descendants. The children of God are not the children of the flesh, but rather the children of the promise (Romans 9:6-9).

In the Letter to the Galatians, Paul writes: “Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise” (Galatians 4:22-23). Both Ishmael and Isaac were circumcised, but circumcision (one of the signs of the covenant with Abraham) is no guarantee that one will inherit the blessings promised to Abraham and his descendants. Jesus teaches, then, that being a child of Abraham means doing the works of Abraham – believing God and obeying his divine word (Romans 4:1-3). The promise made to Abraham is given to those who share the faith of Abraham (Romans 4:16).

Paul will also use the story of Hagar and Sarah to symbolize two covenants (Galatians 3:24-31): Hagar represents the Mosiac covenant of Mount Sinai (and its final form in the Book of Deuteronomy); Sarah represents the Abrahamic covenant and its fulfillment in the New covenant of Jerusalem. Rejecting Jesus means following the way of Ishmael and being cut off from the blessings promised to the descendants of Abraham. Accepting Jesus means following the way of Isaac and sharing in those blessings.

Through his sacrifice on the Cross (prefigured by the binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah), Jesus frees us from the curses of the covenant of Deuteronomy. We are justified and made righteous, not by the works of the old law of Deuteronomy, but by faith in Jesus Christ and cooperation with the grace of the Holy Spirit (Compendium CCC, 422).

In the Book of Daniel we see an example of the liberating action of God. Three men – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – refuse to worship the king’s statue and instead entrust themselves to the protection of the one, true God. They are condemned to death for their disobedience and cast into the white-hot furnace. The flames, however, do not touch them and they are protected by one who looks like a son of God. In this way, God delivers them from death.

We learn that there is no opposition between serving God and being free. The more we act in accord with God’s law and will, the freer we become. “There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to the slavery of sin” (CCC, 1733). As children of God, we are moved to act righteously not by slavish fear, but by the Holy Spirit in freedom and out of love.

Freedom is not an indifferent ability to sin or to do good. True freedom is a share in God’s freedom and is ordered to the good. The nearer we approach God through moral progress, the less we are inclined to sin and abuse our freedom. Knowledge of God (knowing the truth) and love for God (living according to the truth) make us truly free. On our own, we are powerless to break free from the devil and the bondage of sin. Christ alone can liberate us and make us sons of the Father (See S. Pinckaers, The Sources of Christian Ethics, 376). This is the great mystery we contemplate as we approach Holy Week.

Reflection 6 – Walking through fire with Christ

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus invites us to rise above the cross of ignorance about God’s trustworthiness. “If you live according to my teachings,” he says, “you are truly my disciples. And since you are interested in learning from me, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Free to do what?

It’s very freeing to live according to the teachings of Christ, even when they seem unpleasant or illogical, because his ways are always the best ways. For example, it seems detrimental to forgive those who don’t deserve it, but such unconditional love sets us free from the lingering pain of old grudges and anger and anxiety and fear.

Retaliation makes matters worse. Arguing is a form of retaliation. Even the “silent treatment” is a form of retaliation. When we’re willing to do good to our enemies instead of scheming ways to retaliate, we don’t have to worry that the problem will escalate.

Loving our enemies means living by the teachings that take us to the cross. It doesn’t make sense to put ourselves through the fire of suffering love, but this is true holiness. Rescued from the slavery of sin, we’re free to be holy through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

This requires trust. We have to trust that (A) God knows what he’s doing and will make us triumphant over evil, and (B) the end result will be better than we could possibly imagine.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew this kind of trust (today’s first reading). What are the fires in your life? The easy way out leads to slavery. Shortcuts produce the wrong results, the wrong jobs, the wrong relationships, the wrong decisions that lead to disaster – all of which increase our grudges, anger, fears, anxieties and frustrations.

The faith-filled way is to walk with Jesus IN the fire until the flames burn themselves out. Jesus endured the fire of Good Friday, because he trusted that it would produce the boundless joy of resurrection victory. To follow Jesus as a true disciple, we have to accept the cross for the sake of victory. It’s an unpleasant truth, but it sets us free to enjoy life despite the hardships.

Just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were visited in the fire by someone “like a son of God”, so, too, does Jesus stay close by our side within our fires. In the fire is where we rely on him the most. In the fire is where we experience the supernatural. In the fire is where we die with him so that we are raised to a gloriously holier life, where God himself praises us for our faithfulness, and where we join Jesus in full, intimate unity.

So, instead of searching for a way out of the fires you’re enduring now, search for the presence of Jesus within those fires. Embrace him. Stand firm with him. Give him your trust. –  Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2017-04-05

Reflection 7 – Facing a fiery furnace?

Reflection 8 – Needed: Power To Change

If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. –John 8:36

Author Gerald N. Callahan is a professor at Colorado State University. Colorado has long been my home, so I was interested in his recent book River Odyssey, in which he discusses his experiences and thoughts about life. Interesting, for example, is his rueful confession, “I drink too much . . . I eat like myocardial infarctions and colon cancer don’t kill middle-aged men, and every morning I swear I’ll change, but nothing ever changes.”

That confession could be made by multitudes of people. How difficult it is to change! Whether we want to revolutionize our whole lifestyle or give up certain habits–how hard it is to do that!

Dramatic change is possible, however, when we open our hearts to Jesus Christ. Instead of being “a slave of sin,” we can be set free (Jn. 8:34-36). The transformation that happened to bigoted Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus can happen any day to anybody (Acts 9:1-9). The miracle of the new birth is an offer of God to you. If you have never experienced that new birth, call on Christ now. If you have, then prayerfully ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to make the necessary changes. He is the One who gives the power to change.  — Vernon C. Grounds

Father, thank You for Your Spirit,
Fill us with His love and power;
Change us into Christ’s own image
Day by day and hour by hour. –Anon.

A changed life is the result of a changed heart (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 9 – Truth Is Liberating

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. —John 8:32

A Christian friend shared several problems with me over the phone. He was particularly concerned about his frustration and anger. But talking seemed to help. The next day he e-mailed this message to me: “After our talk, I read my Bible notes and found several pages that spoke to me. But what helped me most was the realization that Christianity really is the truth. I suppose that for a Christian this should be obvious. But for me it was a fresh revelation that Jesus in fact is the Son of God and He loves me.” He added, “Just knowing the truth was very liberating. Suddenly, all the frustration and anger left me.”

Writer Os Guinness tells about a young, searching Christian who exclaimed, “I always knew the Christian faith was true, but I never realized it was this true!”

As these believers searched for greater understanding of the gospel, they rediscovered what Jesus promised: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Do you need a fresh realization of truth in your life? Then spend time searching the Scriptures (the written truth), and earnestly seek Jesus Christ (the living truth). Soon the old, familiar truth of Jesus and His love will become refreshingly new to you and will make you free indeed.  — Joanie Yoder

Our selfish ways imprison us—
We cry out to be free;
But if we will obey God’s Word,
We’ll find true liberty. —Sper

The truth of Christ is the only path to freedom (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 10 – A Sinking Ship

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. —John 8:32

Many people think they are free because they are having fun and doing as they please. They give little or no thought to God, assuming that a life of commitment to Christ is restrictive and dull.

In his book Call To Discipleship, Juan Carlos puts this type of thinking into perspective. Suppose that a ship is sinking and the captain knows it. So he tells the passengers that those in second class are free to go up to first class. Those who care to drink may have all the whiskey, vodka, or wine they want–it’s free! Anyone who wants to play soccer in the dining room may do so. If anything is broken, it’s no problem. The passengers are delighted and think they are completely free. But soon they will all be drowned.

That’s a picture of the kingdom of darkness. People have “freedom”—sex, drugs, alcohol, anything they desire. They are convinced that they are kings and queens of their own tiny kingdoms. But the spirit of death controls them, and ultimately it will destroy them.

Real freedom is found in Jesus Christ. He enables us to become all we were designed to be. His restrictions are like wings to a bird or sails to a ship. Receive Him as your Savior, and the truth will set you free.  — Haddon W. Robinson

Haste, O sinner, to the Savior!
Seek His mercy while you may;
Soon the day of grace is over,
Soon your life will pass away.—Reed

True freedom is found in surrender to Christ (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 11 – Let also be role models

“Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego… disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God” (Daniel 3:95).

Thirteen-year-old Cameron’s brother, Brandon, age 24, worked on the 104th floor of the Twin Towers. Two days after September 11th, Cameron called his brother’s cellphone, which was still taking messages. “I just wanted to talk to him one last time.” He left a message saying he was his hero and he wanted to grow up and be like him.

When is one too old to have a hero? Some sports stars are seen as heroes, but make it a point to remind us that they are not role models. Often, they prove it by their actions. Still, we can all learn through role models. They are the theory put into practice. Those strange names – Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego – are heroes. Rather than break God’s law, they sacrificed their lives. This Lent, live as one of God’s heroes.

“Gracious Father, I want to be faithful to you, not only in word, but in deed. Grant me the grace through Jesus. Amen.” (Thomas Connery, Lenten Light, Reflections and Prayers).

Reflection 12 – “You will truly be free”

“Just as there is such a thing as a vicious circle, a state of being imprisoned in the negative when one “no” leads to another and makes the whole thing ever more impossible to get out of, so there is also what could be called a healing circle of salvation, in which one “yes” gives birth to another.

“It is important that in this the right relationship of nature and grace should always be safeguarded. And agape that is not sustained and affirmed by my own nature, that aims at pushing the self to one side and challenging it, becomes sullen and obstinate. It frightens the other person off and nourishes the internal conflict within myself.

“The challenge of the cross is something quite different. It reaches deeper: it demands that I give my ego into Jesus’ hands, not so that he may destroy it but so that in him it may become free and expand. The “yes” of Jesus Christ that I hand on is only really his if it has also become completely mine.

“Thus, a great deal of patience and humility also belongs to this way, just as the Lord has patience with us: it is not a headlong leap into heroism that makes someone a saint but patiently and humbly walking with Jesus, step by step. Holiness does not consist in adventurous achievements of virtue, but in joining him in loving. Hence the real saints are also the quite human, quite natural people in whom through the Easter transformation and purification what is human appears afresh in its total originality and beauty.” (Source: Pope Benedict XVI, Magnificat, Vol. 19, No. 13, March 2018, pp. 330-331).

Reflection 13 – St. Magdalene of Canossa (1774-1835 A.D.)

Wealth and privilege did nothing to prevent today’s saint from following her calling to serve Christ in the poor. Nor did the protests of her relatives, concerned that such work was beneath her.

Born in northern Italy in 1774, Magdalen knew her mind—and spoke it. At age 15 she announced she wished to become a nun. After trying out her vocation with the cloistered Carmelites, she realized her desire was to serve the needy without restriction. For years she worked among the poor and sick in hospitals and in their homes, and also among delinquent and abandoned girls.

In her mid-twenties Magdalen began offering lodging to poor girls in her own home. In time she opened a school, which offered practical training and religious instruction. As other women joined her in the work, the new Congregation of the Daughters of Charity emerged. Over time, houses were opened throughout Italy.

Members of the new religious congregation focused on the educational and spiritual needs of women. Magdalen also founded a smaller congregation for priests and brothers. Both groups continue to this day.

She died in 1835. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 1988.

Read the source: http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1899

SAINT OF THE DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God’s invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint. Click here to receive Saint of the Day in your email.