“My God, thou hast remembered me, and hast not forsaken those who love thee” (Dan 14:38).
These were the words spoken by Daniel when he was in the lions’ den and the prophet Habakkuk brought him food with the help of an angel of God. By the Lord’s command, the lions did not harm him.
Is this just a nice Old Testament story to strengthen our trust in God? But something similar happened to St. Martina of Rome: she too was not harmed by the lions that were about to devour her, because nothing is impossible for God.
St. Peter also alludes to the “lion” in his Letter: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Pet 5:8-9a).
Whether we are threatened by physical or spiritual lions, the Lord does not abandon those who love Him. No matter how great the danger, how great the seeming lack of escape, how roaring lions and poisonous vipers prowl around us and wage war against us, the Lord will never forsake us. He will always show us a way out, whatever it may be. This must be our faith, firm as a rock.
Daniel faced many dangers. They tried to seduce him into idolatry. But he trusted in the Lord and remained faithful. Finally, when King Cyrus the Persian saw that Daniel was untouched in the lions’ den, he understood and cried out aloud, “How great are thee, O Lord, God of Daniel! There is no other god like thee” (Dan 14:41).
Our Father wants us to listen to these words so that in every situation of life we can trust Him and say with Daniel: “My God, thou hast remembered me”. For so it is!
We are always under the loving gaze of our Father, and He is acquainted with all our ways (Ps 138:3). He cares for us.