Reading 1
Dn 1:1-6, 8-20
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came
and laid siege to Jerusalem.
The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
and some of the vessels of the temple of God;
he carried them off to the land of Shinar,
and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god.
The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain,
to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal blood
and of the nobility, young men without any defect,
handsome, intelligent and wise,
quick to learn, and prudent in judgment,
such as could take their place in the king’s palace;
they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;
after three years’ training they were to enter the king’s service.
The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine
from the royal table.
Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah.
But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself
with the king’s food or wine;
so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.
Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy
of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel,
“I am afraid of my lord the king;
it is he who allotted your food and drink.
If he sees that you look wretched
by comparison with the other young men of your age,
you will endanger my life with the king.”
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain
had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
“Please test your servants for ten days.
Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men
who eat from the royal table,
and treat your servants according to what you see.”
He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;
after ten days they looked healthier and better fed
than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.
So the steward continued to take away
the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency
in all literature and science,
and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.
At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation,
the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
When the king had spoken with all of them,
none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah;
and so they entered the king’s service.
In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them,
he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.
Gospel
Lk 21:1-4
When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
Meditation: Daniel 1:1-6,8-20
The Book of Daniel is a compelling story of a young man taken from Jerusalem during the Babylonian exile and forced to adapt to a strange new land.
Though set in the sixth century b.c., most biblical scholars believe the book came into its final form around 165 b.c. during the reign of the oppressive Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Daniel is likely a compilation of several authors’ works, as the language, writing style, and cultural and historical references shift throughout the book. There is also a lack of cohesion to the book as a whole: The first six chapters relate the events of Daniel’s life during the reigns of several kings of Babylon, while the second six chapters describe visions and dreams Daniel had concerning world events. Then, the final two chapters—included only in Catholic Bibles—offer further edifying stories from the lives of Daniel and Susanna.
Though the Book of Daniel tells stories rooted in actual events, it is not a historical document according to the way “history” is defined today. Rather, it is made up of “inspired stories” intended to help readers stand up to a time of persecution and testing.
In today’s reading, Daniel and his friends confront the challenge of how to keep true to their Hebrew culture and beliefs while in an alien land. This is similar to the challenge we face as Christians trying to hold on to God’s ways in a culture that is becoming increasingly ungodly and dismissive of Christian values. It encourages us to see that Daniel’s resolve to not defile himself with the king’s food left him stronger and wiser than all of the other young men in the land. This has great practical application for us, as we must choose each day the proper balance of how much time we spend consuming the world’s philosophies, attitudes, and values, versus how much time we spend consuming God’s word in Scripture.
As we meditate on the Book of Daniel over the next several days, let’s ask God to make us stronger and wiser as we choose to feast on him. Then we too will have the strength and wisdom of this great Old Testament hero!
“Holy Spirit, open my mind and heart to understand the dreams and visions you gave Daniel and to apply them to my life in these present times.”
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