It is 10th April 2019. The readings are from Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28; and the Gospel from John 8:31-42. God never forgets the one who remembers God regularly. In life, not everything is going to be alright always. Someone will force us to do something which we are not convinced of or we might deviate ourselves to be become popular, rich and famous by doing some things that hurt us spiritually. Temptations, struggles, losses, failures, sickness, pain and stigma cannot make us to dump God in our lives when we have decided to go through them with the power of faith in God. Encountering and embracing truth cannot happen to us unless we have the unwavering faith in God. Going after evil, false gods, promoting lies, profaning God’s name are easily possible for the one who hesitates to put the trust in God in the manifestation of truth. The flames of faithfulness are set on fire with the tongues of truth in encountering God’s presence in our life. Without truth in our being and faithfulness in our living, we cannot know and worship true God. In the first reading, three young men were tested by the flames of pride and self-worship from the king. No human made furnace can harm the one who believes, remembers and been faithful to God. The lies of the powerful cannot extinguish the flames of truth in the simple, and humble hearts. When we are led by truth, there is nothing to fear in our lives. Worshiping and believing in false gods always brings pain, fear and failures. We do not need to be afraid when we walk in the light of truth. We are not slaves to lies anymore. No matter who throws us in the fiery furnace of lies and making things so impossible, still we will surely emerge victoriously by our faith and encountering the truth. Truth pains never kills. Truth sets us free never makes us to stumble. Truth makes us humble never allows to be display the colours of pride. No one can invent truth; we can only discover it through our faith. Without truth and faith, we cannot meet and experience God. Heat of the truth purifies, purges and makes us clean of heart while the warmth of lies offers the comfort to compromise with the bunch of lies without any remorse of conscience. Our redemption comes by our faith in God. Let us not be afraid of the furnace of lies, when our hearts of filled the flames of truth. The responsorial Psalm praises, “To you be glory and praise for ever!” (Dan.3:52). In the Gospel, Jesus assures us all that we can encounter truth in His ever-living Word. Our learning and mastery in truth comes by the adherence of the Word of God. We become free persons when we allow the Word of God to penetrate and purify our lies and hesitation to believe God. “If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Jn.8:31). When Jesus has set us free, no one can enslave us. It is up us to root in the Word of God and trusting in God, we can break our addiction, bondage and slavery to sin. May the Lord give us courage to embrace truth in spirit to experience God in our daily life. May you have a good day. God bless you.