WEDNESDAY 5TH WEEK OF LENT: Universalis
I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave
First Reading Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28 God has sent his angel to rescue his servants
King Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods, and that you refuse to worship the golden statue I have erected? When you hear the sound of horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, or any other instrument, are you prepared to prostrate yourselves and worship the statue I have made? If you refuse to worship it, you must be thrown straight away into the burning fiery furnace; and where is the god who could save you from my power?’ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘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.’ These words infuriated King Nebuchadnezzar; his expression was very different now as he looked at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He gave orders for the furnace to be made seven times hotter than usual, and commanded certain stalwarts from his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the burning fiery furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar sprang to his feet in amazement. He said to his advisers, ‘Did we not have these three men thrown bound into the fire?’ They replied, ‘Certainly, O king.’ ‘But,’ he went on ‘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.’
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: he has sent his angel to rescue the servants who, putting their trust in him, defied the order of the king, and preferred to forfeit their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their own.’
Responsorial Psalm: To you glory and praise for evermore
Gospel John 8:31-42 If the Son
makes you free, you will be free indeed
CDR: To the Jews who
believed in him Jesus said:
‘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.’
They answered,
‘We are descended from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone;
what do you mean, “You will be made free”?’
Jesus replied:
‘I tell you
most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave. Now the slave’s place in
the house is not assured, but the son’s place is assured. So if the Son makes
you free, you will be free indeed.
I know that you
are descended from Abraham; but in spite of that you want to kill me because
nothing I say has penetrated into you. What I, for my part, speak of is what I
have seen with my Father; but you, you put into action the lessons learnt from
your father.’
They repeated,
‘Our father is Abraham.’ Jesus said to them:
‘If you were
Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. As it is, you want to kill me when
I tell you the truth as I have learnt it from God; that is not what Abraham
did.What you are doing is what your father does.’
‘We were not born of prostitution,’ they
went on ‘we have one father: God.’ Jesus answered:
‘If God were your father, you would love
me, since I have come here from God; yes, I have come from him; not that I came
because I chose, no, I was sent, and by him.’
My in heaven, I thank you
for your Son Jesus Christ my Redeemer. Father
give me your Spirit, teach me Father. Father transform me as you reveal
yourself to me. Lord Jesus Christ you are my Lord and Redeemer. Lord Jesus, I thank
you for saving me.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me. God’s Angels and Saints pray
for me. My Guardian Angel pray for me.
Pray the Holy Rosary:
Hail Mary full of grace.
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