Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
April 13, 2011
To see the readings, click here:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/041311.shtml
I love this Daniel
reading. It's the wonderful story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. If you've ever had the good fortune to watch the animated Vegie Tales version of this story, you will never forget it. (In it they are called Rak, Shak and Benny.) In this story, the three refused to bow down and worship the golden statue of king Nebuchadnezzar. He became furious and had them cast into a fiery furnace. Though his servants kept stoking the furnace, Shardach, Meshach and Abednego continued singing praises to the true God while they were in there. In astonishment the king looked in and saw not just the three men, but one with them who "looks like a son of God." And the king marveled at their faith and the power of their God.
I think it's important to note that these three had been in the king's very good graces until they refused to worship the statue. They were living the good life. If they had just gone through the motions of compliance, they would have gone on living the good life. But they knew that worshiping an idol was fundamentally wrong, and they refused to do it. They said their God could save them, but even if he didn't, they would still rather perish for doing what was right than live by doing what was wrong. (Hmm, harkens back to Susanna of the Daniel reading of a few days ago, doesn't it?) In the end God did save them, and in quite a flashy manner -- but the point is, they were willing to die if they had to rather than sin in this way.
In their shoes, wouldn't it be easy to come up with some rationalization for why it only made sense to play along? My mind jumps to the many Christians -- and I believe many were true, believing Christians -- who "went along" with the Nazis during the holocaust. They told themselves that one person couldn't make a difference. They asked, how could it possibly help God's cause for me to sacrifice myself -- it wouldn't make a difference, would it? And they kept their mouths shut or worse, they actively complied. I say this not in judgment, but in sympathy. I truly wonder whether I'd have the strength to face near-certain death for my convictions. I hope I would -- but I don't think we can know until we are there.
Thank you, Father, for all the wonderful examples you give us of people who acted on their convictions. Please live in us and help us to grow ever more grounded in you so that we, too, will have the strength to do what is right if put to the test. Help us to use this Lent to let go of even more of our self-centeredness and the things distance us from you, and to arrive at Easter stronger and closer to you than ever. Amen
