Already the 5th week in Lent. We have followed the Hebrew Peoples through slavery, occupation, martyrdom, freedom, and so forth. Here again is a marvelous story of remaining faithful to their God of Abraham, Moses and the Prophets. The God of their ancestors.

I am recalling when I was a child, first or second grade, there was a very large flip-style chart with a biblical picture on each page that corresponded with a lesson. Clearly in my mind is the image of three men engulfed in flames with an angel, all in positions of dancing and praising God. Not dying!  Glory and praise forever! Off in the corner is the cruel and bewildered King!

The Bible is filled with such wonderful stories, historical memory, abundant with imagery and drama. No wonder there have been so many movies made based on the Hebrew Scriptures and the life of Christ.

What great names too. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Not to mention Nebuchadnezzar! These three men who would not worship false gods made of stone or precious metals, faced the consequences of believing in the God of their ancestors. Killed by a mean king! Their fidelity set them free and filled with fire! As for the King, perhaps a moment of conversion as he saw four men unfettered and unhurt walking in the fire, and the fourth looking like a son of God!

Forward to Jesus. He himself a Jew is among the Jews who apparently believe in him. They are all descendants of Abraham. What is different? What is Jesus offering them? It is clear that the commands given to Moses by God speaking (in a fiery bush) for the people said, ‘do not kill’; but here, Jesus is clear in saying his life is endangered. Why? Could they not comprehend the spiritual freedom that Jesus is offering? Freedom from sins that keep them from growing into greater interior freedom. They do not understand that Jesus, is sent by the Father, the God of Abraham, Moses, Elijah and all the prophets. If they believed, they would love him and not wish him harm. There seems to be a gap in their understanding. What are they not getting it?

This gap would eventually come to light by witnessing the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This gap would be filled with belief that Jesus was sent as the New Covenant. This gap would be changed in knowing Jesus was not only sent by God but that He truly is God’s Son.  This gap would be overflowing with grace in experiencing the Risen Jesus, the Christ.

Lent offers us the opportunity to look at the gaps in our lives and in the world that need to be filled with mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and love of God. People are still killed because of religious beliefs, cultural and racial differences.  

What is keeping each of us from embracing a full life in Christ, and free from the slavery of sin? Jesus is always about loving us into the fullness of life and setting us free! Free to live His message with fidelity. Free to be filled with the fiery passion of His Love. Free to enter with impassionate zeal the flames of justice and peacemaking. Such a freedom can be imagined in dancing with an angel amid flames that do no harm because, Blessed are they who have kept the word with generous hearts and yields a harvest through perseverance. (Lk 8:15)