Sacrifice

Daniel 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.

I read about Daniel and think about what it's like to eat vegetarian. If you have never tried it, it's hard. Especially if you like meat. I feel lucky that all foods were made clean in the New Testament. I could explore why certain foods at the time were off limits, but instead I look here and see sacrifice. It seems like the world today wants to exclude sacrifice as much as possible. Ask any successful athlete, business person or academic and they will tell you sacrifice is a requirement to success. It's the same in the spiritual world, you can not become a lean, loving spiritual machine if you are gorging every pleasure that you mind ponders upon. It would have been easy for Daniel to eat off the kings table, some may even say excused, but Daniel was will to sacrifice and through that his faith and his life became stronger.

Luke 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."

With these lines I often feel ashamed. I feel that I don't give enough. Just yesterday I went to church with two of my youngest. I was in such a hurry I forgot to goto the ATM and get money for the plate that was passed. I looked in my wallet at the beginning of Mass and all I had was a dollar. I thought, what good would that do and stuffed it back in, but for some reason these lines came to mind, so at collection time I pulled out my lone dollar and had my son put it in. I don't know what God will do with it, but I am sure that it will be better than what I would have done with it.

Jesus,

I love you so very much. Sometimes I feel like I waste so much opportunity. Help me to sacrifice. Help me to not be hung up on pleasure. Help me to dig deep and become the man you know I can be if I apply myself. Help me to love and give without holding back, because that's what you do everyday. 

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,

Amen