Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28; Resp: Daniel 3; John 8:31-42
In the First Reading of today, we have the popular account of how the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defied the order of the king, not just behind his back but also to his face. They were not just talkers behind the king’s back, they told him to his face that they would never disobey God to obey him, whether God saved them or not.
These three Hebrew boys show us what it means to be truly free. Freedom from fear is a great liberation, especially freedom from fear of people. Many of us are living in fear of people, fear that people will hurt us, fear of being judged, unloved, or rejected.
In today’s Gospel, we see how Jesus courageously told the truth to the powerful but arrogant Jewish leaders. He didn’t just preach what freedom is, and He didn’t just promise freedom – He shows us what it means to be free.
Jesus has come to set us free from the bondage of sin and fear – the fear of people, the future, suffering, and death. It is only when we embrace His freedom that we can live our lives to the full because fear cripples and limits our lives.
Let us pray for an experience of the freedom that Jesus gives through the Holy Spirit to those willing to receive it (2 Corinthians 3:17; 2 Timothy 1:7).
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on March 29, 2023.