Dear friends,
This morning, We are considering several things Father Francis Dominic has written about Daniel, the Prophet. As We return to the consideration, We find several important points marked, and would like to share them with you. Tomorrow We will return to the wall of fire and Our thoughts after twenty-nine years in the Papacy.
Daniel was a young man, when he came into the service of Nabuchodonosor, about seventeen years old. Father Francis asks us to take Daniel, Sidrach, Misach and Abdenago as role models, saying: “Lord, I don’t have to do foolish things like other young people do. I want to follow the examples of these men who lived in humility and the fear of God right from their youth.” Let us ask ourselves a serious question: “Am I following the examples of the Saints, especially the martyrs? Or, am I following the examples of the worldly?” Consider this question well. Saints have come through the wall of fire, Scripture talks about, and Father discussed yesterday.
In another consideration from Father, he refers us to Daniel 1:11-15: “And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: Try, I beseech thee, thy servants for ten days, and let pulse be given us to eat, and water to drink: And look upon our faces, and the faces of the children that eat of the king’s meat: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants. And when he had heard these words, he tried them for ten days. And after ten days their faces appeared fairer and fatter than all the children that ate of the king’s meat.” In Butler’s Lives of the Saints, we often read that the saints ate pulse. Do you know what pulse is? Or are we more interested in eating the king’s meat? A footnote in the Douay tells us that pulse is peas, beans and such like. Pulse is simple nutritious food, which is eaten in order to give us strength to continue in prayer and not to tickle our pallet.
After telling us this story, Father says: “God is looking for people who will boldly confess their faith, and not keep their light hidden underneath a bed.” Jesus says: “Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.” (Matthew 5:15) We have discussed this in the past. Today many of us are not willing to stand for the truth and take the ridicule of the world. Instead, we light our candle and hide it under a bushel basket or as Father says, underneath the bed. Stop and think about that for a moment. If you light a candle and put it under the bed, what is going to happen? The bed will catch on fire. When we hide our light under the bed, we have a spiritual fire hazard.
Father then tells us: “God is looking for men who will not seek their own, who are not interested in anything for themselves and who are willing to lose their lives for Him, if necessary. Daniel was only 17 years old. Even today, God can choose a 17-year old youth and make him a prophet and empower him to take a stand for Him.” God can take you, right now, and make use of you for His service. God will put you to work in His service, if you turn your life completely over to Him, right here and right now.
God, what do you want me to do? Lord, give me the ability to see your will and the strength to do it, no matter what it may cost me. I consecrate myself completely to you right here and right not. Lead me wherever you want me to go.
Oremus,
+Michael pp