A peaceful world is what we long for, hope for and pray for.
Although there are some moments of peace, but more often it is distress and tribulation.
And that makes us wonder if all our longing, hoping and praying are going anymore.
And it also makes us wonder if we can continue to believe in God.
In the 1st reading, some wicked people have ganged up against Daniel and they wanted him dead.
They used the king’s edict against him and so, even the king was unable to help Daniel.
When Daniel was thrown into the pit of lions, that would be another case of wickedness overpowering goodness.
But wickedness and evil cannot overcome goodness and justice, because God will always have the last say.
And when Daniel was pulled out of the pit unharmed, it was the pagan king who testified to the goodness and the saving love of God when he said:
He is the living God, he endures for ever, his sovereignty will never be destroyed and his kingship never end.
He saves, sets free, and works signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth, he saved Daniel from the power of the lions.
If a pagan king can testify to the saving love of God, then all the more we must believe Jesus when He says:
When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.
Evil and wickedness can never have the last say.
God will always have the last word, and it is His saving Word.
When darkness and wickedness seem to rule the earth, let us stand erect and hold our heads high, because God will free us and save us and work signs and wonder in the heavens and on earth.