四旬期第五周星期三
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
读经一
恭读达尼尔先知书 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
拿步高王说：“沙得辣客、默沙客、阿贝得乃哥！你们是真存心不恭敬我的神，不朝拜我立的金像吗？现在你们准备好，一听见角、笙、琴、瑟、筝、箫及各种乐器齐奏，就俯伏朝拜我制造的像；若是你们不朝拜，你们就立刻被投入烈火窰中，看有什么神能由我手中将你们救出？” 沙得辣客、默沙客和阿贝得乃哥回答拿步高王说：“关于这事，我们无须回答；如果我们所恭敬的天主肯救我们，大王！他必会救我们脱离火窰和脱离你的手；如果他不肯，大王！你应当知道，我们仍然不愿意恭敬你的神，也不朝拜你所立的金像。”
拿步高一听这话，怒火填胸，立刻对沙得辣客、默沙客和阿贝得乃哥变了脸，下令要人将火窰烧得比往常更热七倍，又命军中的几个壮士将沙得辣客、默沙客和阿贝得乃哥捆起来，投入烈火窰中。
看到三个青年不为烈火所伤，拿步高王十分惊慌，急忙站起，问他的臣仆说：“我们不是把他们三个人全捆起来抛入烈火窰中了吗？” 仆人回答君王说：“大王，实在是！” 君王又问说：“怎么我看见有四个人无拘无束地在火中行走，丝毫没有受伤，而且那第四个人的外貌，仿佛是神的儿子。” 于是拿步高说道：“沙得辣客、默沙客和阿贝得乃哥的天主，是可赞美的！他打发了自己的天使来，救护那些信赖自己的仆人，他们敢违背王命，宁愿捐躯，除自己的天主以外，不愿事奉叩拜其他任何神祇。”
Reading 1
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
King Nebuchadnezzar said:
“”Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?””
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
“”There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
in this matter.
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.””
King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
“”Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?””
“”Assuredly, O king,”” they answered.
“”But,”” he replied, “”I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.””
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
“”Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God.””
福音
恭读圣若望福音 8:31-42
那时候，耶稣对那些信他的犹太人说：“你们如果固守我的话，就确是我的门徒，也会认识真理，而真理必会使你们获得自由。” 他们回答说：“我们是亚巴郎的后裔，从未给任何人做过奴隶；怎么你说：你们要成为自由的呢？” 耶稣答覆说：“我实实在在告诉你们：凡是犯罪的，就是罪恶的奴隶。奴隶不能永远住在家里，儿子却永远居住。那么，如果天主子使你们自由了，你们的确是自由的。我知道你们是亚巴郎的后裔，你们却图谋杀害我，因为你们容纳不下我的话。我说的，是我在父那里所看见的；而你们行的，却是从你们父亲那里学习的。” 他们回答说：“我们的父亲是亚巴郎。”耶 稣对他们说：“假如你们是亚巴郎的子女，你们就该作亚巴郎所作的事。如今，你们竟然图谋杀害我——这个给你们说出从天主那里所听到的真理的人——亚巴郎却没有作过这样的事。你们正作你们父亲的事业。”他们向他说：“我们不是由淫乱生的，我们只有一个父亲：就是天主。” 耶稣回答说：“假如天主是你们的父亲，你们必爱我，因为我是由天主出发而来的，并不是由我自己来的，而是那一位派遣了我。”
Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 8:31-42
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”