Readings:
Daniel 6:12-28
Luke 21:20-28
Reflection:
Today’s readings are powerful expressions of God’s sovereignty and power to save. The story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:12-28) is a fictional tale created to emphasise how even the Persian king vindicates the just Israelite and praises the true God. Out of jealousy, other officials have accused Daniel of praying to the God of Israel, and the king reluctantly follows through with the punishment he has decreed in response to their scheming – only to be overjoyed when Daniel is not eaten by the lions. The aftermath is that the jealous officials and their families meet their fate, and the king affirms the power and sovereignty of the God of Israel.  The Psalm, calling on all creation to praise and bless the Lord, is also taken from the book of Daniel (3:68-74), the story of the three men who are thrown into the fiery furnace and escape unscathed. In the face of the overpowering might of Gentile empires, these stories express the faith of the Jews in God’s providence and care. Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:20-28) expresses this faith in the context of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, shortly after the time of Christ. Luke’s Jesus foretells the coming destruction and the coming of the Son of Man. As in the book of Daniel, the message of this passage for all Christians is to have faith and hope in God’s sovereignty and steadfast mercy: ‘stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.’
Robert Gascoigne is a parishioner at St Brigid’s, Marrickville.  He is a theologian who taught for many years at the Australian Catholic University.Â