Very moving, dear Father, is the story of Daniel, whom the idolaters threw into the lions’ den because he had exposed their idols and uncovered the scheme with which they deceived King Cyrus. And the lions? They did Daniel no harm, as so often happened with saints—for example, with Saint Martina of Rome.
It is truly amazing that You sometimes choose these wild animals as instruments of Your action. Yet the lions were meant to serve the evil intentions of the idolaters and devour the one who bore witness to You. On top of that, they had threatened the king and his family with death if he did not hand over Daniel.
But what happened? You did not allow the evil intentions of the idolaters to succeed, so the wild beasts could not be misused for the crime; instead, they became instruments for punishing the criminals. The result was that King Cyrus proclaimed: “Then the king said: Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel: for he is the Saviour, working signs, and wonders in the earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions’ den.” (Dan 14:42)
Thus You have often acted, taking evil into Your service to bring about something according to Your plan.
That, dear Father, should surely give us confidence in all situations of life. Lovingly, You had a meal brought to Daniel through Habakkuk; and so beautifully he replied: “Thou hast remembered me, O God, and hast not forsaken those who love thee.” (Dan 14:38).
That, dear Father, is what we say after Daniel—no matter what “lion’s den” we may find ourselves in. You can tame even them and make them messengers of Your righteousness.