Saints
Daily Readings:
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First Reading
Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
14King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?" 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up." 19Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into thewhite-hot furnace. 91King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" "Assuredly, O king," they answered. 92"But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God." 95Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. -
Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:52-56
52"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. 53Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. 54Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. 55Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. 56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever. -
Gospel
John 8:31-42
31Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, `You will be made free'?" 34Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." 39They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did, 40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. 41You do what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." 42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
