Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28 / John 8:31-42
The fiery furnace of tribulation is something we will come across in our lives. Not just once, but many times.
It is in this fiery furnace that our faith in God is tested, our faith in prayer is tested, our faith in others is tested, and our faith in ourselves is tested.
The fiery furnace comes in all forms: the loss of a job, the hurt form a broken or painful relationship, ill-treatment and accusations from others, etc.
And we often get trapped in the flames of doubt, despair, anger and resentment.
In the 1st reading, when the three young men were threatened with the fiery furnace, they stuck to their faith in God.
In doing so, they were freed from their fear of death.
They believed in God, and that set them free to face and get over the fear of the fiery furnace.
It is also by believing in God and in His Word of truth that will set us free.
By forgiving those who hurt us, we are freed.
By praying for those we wrong us, we are freed.
By not nailing judgment on others, we are freed.
By loving others, we are freed.
The flames of the fiery furnace may not go off, but by believing and living in the truth, we live in the freedom of walking together with our God in that fiery furnace.