During this, the last week of the Church’s year, the first reading of the day is taken from the Book of Daniel. This book purports to be from the time of the Babylonian exile (587BC) but was actually written about the year 165BC It is, what we might call today, historical fiction. The author looks to the ways Israel dealth with an oppressive ruler in the past as a commentary on how to deal with the present (during the time of the Seleucid monarchy.) The book starts with an account of four young, Jewish men entering the civil service of the Babylonian empire. They had to hold onto their faith in a hostile environment. They found a way to do so and maanaged to thrive. 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. The book was written to encourage the Jewish faithful as they confronted their Greek overlords. We read it today as a reminder that no matter what the environment in which we find ourselves, it is necessary to remain faithtul to God no matter the cost.
