5TH WEEK OF LENT

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples. 

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus is talking to a group of Jews who are beginning to turn against him. They had “believed in him,” but when Jesus told them to remain in his word so that they can know the truth, they began to argue with him (John 8:31; see 8:33). Instead of embracing his word and allowing it to change them, they gave up on him when his teachings challenged them.

We can find many of Jesus’ teachings challenging as well. But we also know that remaining in Jesus’ word means more than saying we believe in it. It means embracing that word and putting it into practice in our lives, even when it’s difficult. That’s the only way we truly grow as disciples of the Lord.

No doubt because the price of discipleship can be high, God shows us examples in Scripture of what he gives to his disciples in return. Look at the powerful blessings that flowed from the faithfulness of the four men in our readings today: Abraham, whose faith-filled works Jesus praises; and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, whose commitment to worship the one true God brought a foreign king to faith (John 8:39; Daniel 3). In both cases, they paid a steep price for carrying out God’s word. Abraham left his land and was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac. Daniel’s three companions braved a fiery death sentence.

But look at what came about as a result! The group of friends inside the furnace, whose faith had taught them that God’s almighty power is to be exalted over all created things, received a life-saving miracle. And not only did Abraham’s obedience win him countless descendants, but his family also became a sign of God’s salvation to the whole world.

We won’t always see such obvious effects of remaining in God’s word—at least not in this life. But everything will become abundantly clear when we get to heaven. We simply can’t anticipate how much God will multiply our efforts to stay true to him and his word. As his truth takes root in us, it becomes more powerful and eternally life-giving than all the challenges we may face on earth.

“Father, deepen my trust in your word so that I may be a witness of faith.”

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
(Psalm) Daniel 3:52-56
John 8:31-42