Tuesday 14 March

Tuesday of the 3rd week of Lent
First reading – Daniel 3:25,34-43
“Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray”. This is beautiful. Standing in the midst of the fire and praying. Standing in the midst of our problems which could consume us, which could destroy us, which could finish us, and pray. Here prayer is not something out of the mouth but out of the heart. Here prayer is a reviving of a relationship. Here prayer is a reliving of a relationship. A relationship of trust. A relationship of confidence. A relationship of understanding oneself and of understanding of God. “Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord”. These words explain it. Deliverance is requested based on what. A deliverance worthy of the wonderful deeds of the Lord. And the motive of the deliverance is the glory of the Lord. So, the relationship with the Lord is a relationship where the Lord is the center. His wonderful deeds are the basis of this relationship, and His glory is the objective of this relationship. That is why Azariah can say this prayer in the midst of the fire. When the wonderful deeds of the Lord become the basis of our relationship with God, when His Glory is the objective of our relationship, we could also pray standing in the middle of our difficulties. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to assure that the wonderous deeds of the Lord are the basis of our prayer and His glory is our objective.