Mass Readings: Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent

In the episode from Daniel, we see Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego place their trust in the one true God over serving the king’s false god. They chose to surrender themselves beyond potential temporal torture and death to God’s will for them, regardless of whether or not God would choose to save them from earthly death or not. In a somewhat similar way, we see across the gospel that Jesus had to choose whether or not He would accept the will of His Father; but He knew He would not be saved from an unjust and violent death, and still chose to glorify the Father so that He may become the means of true freedom and life for us who would become children of the Father by baptism into Him.

The Jews who reject Jesus in the gospel have a false sense of security as they make their case by claiming to be descendants of Abraham. Jesus calls them into the truth when He acknowledges them to only be natural descendants of Abraham and nothing more because they do not act in faith like Abraham’s children. As we near Holy Week to again behold Jesus’ total surrender of His life for us in accordance to His Father’s will, let us be attentive not to rest our lives on a false sense of security in our baptism. Just as some of the Jews gave their account to Jesus as being sons of Abraham, we too who are baptized must be ready to give an account of our lives. Would our account be one of the little-lived promises of our baptism into life in Jesus Christ? Or when the time comes for us to give account for our lives, will Jesus see in us His intimate brothers and sisters who are together with Him, children of the Father? May we open ourselves each day to Jesus and Mary’s help to give ourselves totally to the Father in obedience thru Jesus; trusting every grace is there we need to imitate Jesus’ giving away of Himself for others good, and trusting God and His good plan for us beyond the temporal difficulties and consequences that may come in this passing world.