Twenty-Sixth Day

Patron Saint of Desperate Situations

Daniel 6.11-16

6

11 Some nobles of Darius, ruler of Babylon, entered the upstairs room of Daniel's home and found him praying and pleading before God.

12 The nobles then went to remind Darius of the prohibition: "Didn't you decree that no one is to address a petition to god or mortal for thirty days, except to you, on pain of being thrown into the lions' den?"

Darius replied, "The decree is absolute and irrevocable under Medean and Persian law."

13 To this the nobles replied, "Daniel, the Jewish exile, has paid no attention to you or to the decree you issued; three times a day Daniel offers prayers."

14 Darius was deeply grieved at this news and decided to save Daniel, racking his brain until sunset to find a way out. 15 But the officials insisted: "Keep in mind that under Medean and Persian law, every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable."

16 So Darius ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions' den. To Daniel he said, "May your God, whom you worship so constantly, save you!"

"Untitled"

by Joy Harjo (b. 1951)

found in Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings (WW Norton, 2015)

Listened to an alto sax players jamming on the street. He played a few jazz standards, mostly popular tunes the people would know who changed buses there. Nice tone. I walked from the hotel into the dusk of the city to listen closer, to speak with him. We shared names, gear info, and other stories of the saxophone road. He told me, "I'm making a living out of small hopes..." There's something about a lone horn player blowing ballads at the corners of our lives.

Today’s Art Practice

Directions: Select one of the songs from today's playlist - it doesn't matter which, just one that speaks to you in the moment. Listen to that song on repeat at least 3 times. Listen to this song, letting the words, tune, and rhythm real themselves to you in a way that is different from what you normally hear.

Notice how this is different from how you normally listen to music. Notice how this is different from how you are normally contemplative.

If you like, you can use a sheet of the lined paper in you envelope to write down what you notice from this experience.

Let’s Pray…

Prayer

by Joyce Yarrow

God be your comfort, your strength;

God be your hope and support;

God be your light and your way;

and may God: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer,

bless you and remain with you

now and for ever. Amen.