On the Lapsed 31

Ananias, Azarias, and Mishael, illustrious and noble youths, did not refrain from making confession to God even amid the flames and the blaze of the burning furnace. With a good conscience, and having often deserved well of the Lord by the obedience of faith and fear, they did not cease to keep humility and make satisfaction to God even amid the very glorious martyrdoms of their virtues. The divine Scripture speaks: “Standing,” it says, “Azarias prayed, and opened his mouth, and made confession to God together with his companions in the midst of the fire.” Daniel too, after the manifold grace of his faith and innocence, after the Lord's favor often shown toward his virtues and praises, still strove to win God's favor by fasting; he rolled in sackcloth and ashes, making confession sorrowfully and saying, “O Lord God, great and strong and to be feared, who keep covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commands, we have sinned, we have committed wickedness, we have been impious, we have transgressed and forsaken your precepts and your judgments; we have not listened to your servants the prophets, what they spoke in your name to our kings and to all the nations and to all the earth. To you, O Lord, to you belongs righteousness, but to us confusion.”