Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
The Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults (this is the process whereby adults are either baptized or received into the Catholic Church) name Lent as “The Period of Purification and Enlightenment.” Like for the candidates the whole Lenten season is full of opportunities for all Christians to grow away from sin and become more faithful to the gospel. For any of us who have been trying to stay true to our Lenten sacrifices, we know that when faced with temptation, some days our resistance is better than others. Purification occurs when we stay true to our faith commitments. While this purification is painful at times, its sanctifying work in us makes us healthier and holier. What is not always clear about purification at the beginning of the process is what will be the end results?
Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego know exactly what would happen if they stood firm in their belief of the God of Israel? On one level, their answer is one of certainty. “We will not serve your God or worship the golden statue which you have set up.”(Dn 3:18 b,c). On another level, it was a radical act of faith. It was radical in that they stayed true to what they believed, even if that meant they might lose their lives. They gave themselves completely over to God’s will. How often do we give ourselves over to God that completely? How often are we willing to stand firm on principle. The irony of this reading is that the real purification occurred to the people standing outside the furnace, as Nebuchadnezzar came to believe in the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. This illustrates that the Lord’s process of changing hearts often happens in ways that we cannot expect.
In today’s gospel, it is Jesus who is standing firm in his beliefs like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The disciples, who believed in Jesus, argued with his understanding of God’s word. Jesus’ purpose was to challenge the disciples to allow their hearts to be purified. For Jesus, they needed to let his “word” have a place inside their hearts. The entrenchment of the disciples was becoming a roadblock to their own spiritual growth. How does our own view of how God moves and has meaning in the world block our own spiritual growth? The process of being purified means allowing God to change us and our world view if we are to participate fully in God’s redemptive love.
"Lord, help us to be like Nebuchadnezzar at the end of today’s reading from Daniel. Open our eyes and hearts so that we might recognize the ways you are trying to purify us as disciples. In this way, on the day when we are called upon, have us be ready to give ourselves completely to You who lives and reigns one God forever and ever. Amen!"
-Michael Montgomery