"If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.” Dn 3: 17-18
The three young men in the book of Daniel, threatened with death in a white hot furnace, refuse to bargain with the King or test God. Their faith is such that even if they die, they promise God their fidelity, not for interceding on their behalf but because God is one and true. The faith of the three young men lifts our spirits and our hope. When we find deep faith in ordinary people it is always heartening.
Last week while visiting a friend at the Shattuck hospital in Boston, whose primary residents are people without health care, I met a youngish Catholic doctor whose view of medicine did my heart good. Although she had worked at Massachusetts General and New England Baptist, she moved to the Shattuck because she wanted to work with people who our society often forgets. Upbeat and friendly, she spoke with real compassion about the people for whom she was caring, making my visit a surprising delight.
The three young men and the young doctor are very much alike. They live and act for the right reasons. Not content to live without passion, they seek challenges in order to live their faith more authentically.
Today, ask God for the grace to live your faith fully and deeply.
Who are the people who most impress you by their commitment to faith?
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