I did not come of my own will

LENTEN SPIRITUAL TONIC: Dan. 3:14-20.24-25.28, Jn 8:31-42. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are the heroes of today's first reading. These young men put their trust in God, they remained steadfast, not minding whatever happens: “If our God can save us, may he save us. But even if he will not, O king, we will not serve your God.” With incredible serenity they accept the consequences of remaining faithful to their Jewish traditions. They said: “There is no need for us to defend ourselves.” The issue is very clear to them; they choose integrity at all costs. Then God saved them from being consumed in the furnace and this made Nebuchadnezzar to exclaim: “Blessed be the God who delivers the servants that trust in him.” Jesus also acted with integrity, by His unconditional trust and obedience to prove His relationship as a Son to the Father in today's Gospel: “I did not come of my own will; it was he who sent me.”

Our identity as believers flows from this integrity. He says: “If you live by my teaching, you are truly my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” True freedom is the freedom to love and give ourselves to others as Jesus gives us Himself. It is for this freedom we pray to be heroic, self-sacrificing like the young men in the book of Daniel, or indeed like Jesus. If we can respond with all our heart, our true self will emerge most fully, to bear the identify of God. Jesus tells us how to regain the lost connection: allow His words to take root within and His words will set us free to reclaim our true identity. In the process, we will come to recognize Jesus and others as children of the same Father.

May the Lord help us to set aside our apathy, show us in the confusion of life the things that really matter and our 'genetic fingerprints' match with that of God our Father! Amen!! Good morning and have a pleasant day!!!