Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Wednesday in the Fifth Week of Lent
Antiphons and Readings on p 315 of the Daily Missal
First Reading: Daniel 3:14-20.24-25.28
In those days:
King Nebuchadnezzar said,
“Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you do not serve my gods
or worship the golden image which I have set up?
Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn,
pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music,
to fall down and worship the image which I have made,
well and good;
but if you do not worship,
you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace;
and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king,
“O Nebuchadnezzar,
we have no need to answer you in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve
is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace;
and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
But if not, be it known to you, O king,
that we will not serve your gods
or worship the golden image which you have set up.”
Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury,
and the expression of his face was changed
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace heated
seven times more than it was accustomed to be heated.
And he ordered certain mighty men of his army
to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished
and rose up in haste.
He said to his counsellors,
“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
They answered the king, “True, O king.”
He answered, “But I see four men loose,
walking in the midst of the fire,
and they are not hurt;
and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
Nebuchadnezzar said,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who has sent his angel and delivered his servants,
who trusted in him, and set at nought the king’s command,
and yielded up their bodies
rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:29-30.31.33.32.34 (R. 29b)
R/. You are to be praised and highly exalted forever.
Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers,
and to be praised and highly exalted for ever;
And blessed is your glorious, holy name
and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory
and to be extolled and highly glorified forever.
Blessed are you upon the throne of your kingdom
and to be extolled and highly glorified forever.
Blessed are you, who sit upon cherubim
and look upon the deeps,
and to be praised and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven
and to be sung and glorified for ever.
R/. You are to be praised and highly exalted forever.
Gospel: John 8:31-42
At that time:
Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him,
“If you continue in my word,
you are truly my disciples,
and you will know the truth,
and the truth will make you free.”
They answered him,
“We are descendants of Abraham,
and have never been in bondage to anyone.
How is it that you say,
‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
The slave does not continue in the house for ever;
the son continues for eve
