Reflections
“Blessed are you, O Lord, praiseworthy
and exalted above all forever.”
This week's Responsorial is taken from the book
of Daniel. The verses are an excerpt
from the songs of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
who have been thrown into the fiery furnace
by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
These three young Jewish men
refuse to worship the god of Nebuchadnezzar,
nor will they worship the golden statue
that has been set up by the King.
As a consequence they are cast into
a white hot furnace by the King.
But these brave young men are seen
walking about in the flames, singing to God
and blessing the Lord, using the words
in this week's Responsorial.
An angel of the Lord goes down into the furnace and
makes the inside of the furnace as though a
“dew laden breeze were blowing through it.”
So the fire in no way touches or causes them pain or harm.
These three in the furnace with one voice sing,
glorifying and blessing God. The unwavering faith of
the three makes a strong impression on King Nebuchadnezzar
when he sees that these three young servants
of God have trusted in God and yielded their bodies,
rather than serve or worship the Babylonian god or
a golden statue. The King himself is so overwhelmed
that he undergoes a conversion and
exclaims, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego.”
The verses of the Responsorial affirm the power of God's
love for us. When we encounter our own trial by fire
and emerge unscathed then we too are inspired to respond
with the words of the three young Jewish men in the fiery
furnace, “Blessed are you, O Lord, praiseworthy and
and emerge unscathed then we too are inspired to respond
with the words of the three young Jewish men in the fiery
furnace, “Blessed are you, O Lord, praiseworthy and
exalted above all forever.”
Just as the men in the furnace were in awe of the glory
of the Lord, who sent an angel to rescue them, we too
stand in awe of the loving presence of our God. Helpless
without the strength of God in our lives, let us not focus on
our own predicaments, but on the greatness of our God,
“Blessed are you O Lord. Glory and praise forever!”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The verses of the Responsorial are songs of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who are rescued from the fiery furnace. We all encounter trial by fire when we live our faith. Speak of your own rescue by the power of the Lord.
2. Daniel relates the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's conversion after he observes the inspiring witness of the three young Jewish men. Tell of how your own witness inspires others to become people of faith.
ReplyDeleteWith its intense heat and ability to spread... fire... is at once, dangerous, but also powerful for purification and cleansing. The potter's kiln. Sterilization of medical equipment. Waste management.
I can point to many uses of fire-heating throughout human history that are for good.
And when applied to the soul? Does the fiery trial burn away my sins? Test my character? Refine me like gold? I wish to answer "yes." Rather than being unscathed, I feel more of a transformation while walking through a forest of wildfires.
There is no doubt that a difficult worldly circumstance has me on my knees more often, than when life is sailing smoothly. My heart is singed... often burned... from the pain of a troubled relationship, worry over a child, or concern over my husband's health -- physical and spiritual.
As I ponder the pains of my injured heart, I am reminded of the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus -- pictured as burning for us with boundless and passionate love. (In 2026, the feast will be celebrated on June 12.)
In His divine design, God often takes what could be harmful, such as a burn, and causes it to be the very source of our healing. For it is through the torment, that I become more tightly tethered to the Lord. I search for Him more, depend on Him more, listen and even obey Him more. The blazing agony gives way to a blazing love that I try to hold onto, but often fail to do.
Nevertheless, like the three men in the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I can proclaim, "Let the earth bless the Lord; let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever." (Daniel 3:52). For God loves me enough to allow a temporary hardship for the purposes of my growth.