Daniel in the Lions' Den Lectionary 506

506.doc.

Scripture: Lectionary 506: Dan. 6:12-28. Canticle of Dan. 3:68-74. Luke 21:20-28

From early childhood we have heard the story of Daniel in the lions’ den. This story is once again another moral lesson about the strength of God in the lives of his faithful servants. Here we again in a much more mature manner look and meditate on the meaning of this narrative and its impact on our own lives today. Paul’s message to all of us is appropriate for helping us to understand the meaning of this particular passage as well as other passages written in a different genre than the midrash/haggadah of Daniel: “All scripture is inspired by God and useful for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be upright. This is how someone dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.” Daniel is ready for anything God places before him. He has prayed intensely and continued that prayer three times each day. He is even ready for condemnation by a king who reluctantly has to follow the irrevocable laws of the Persians and Medes concerning religious worship. God does deliver him. The story continues with all those who brought Daniel before the judgment of the law are now thrown into the den and immediately are devoured by the lions. Such an act of injustice of penalizing the innocent family of a guilty person , was common in ancient times and more recently too! (Judah Slotki, Ph.D.)

We then hear the beautiful Response of the three men and a fourth (an angel) who had been put into the fiery furnace. This canticle is used in Morning Praise on Sunday and also on some feasts and shows us God being praised by the young men. They praise all of creation. It is a good thanksgiving prayer not only for Daniel’s time but for our own time of Thanksgiving which we celebrate just before Advent. Like Daniel we are led to be faithful to prayer including praising God through the gifts of nature and the universe.

Daniel 6:27 is a perfect prayer for our meditation this day: “For he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even to the end.”