The readings in Daniel show us what a rebellious tribe of people we all are despite being the chosen race. On the one hand there is this great and loving God, faithful to His covenant and ever-ready to forgive. On the other, a people persistent in wanting to go the wrong way, stubborn, apathic and not heeding the voice of God that comes through His servants and prophets and the Inner Voice of our hearts. Still, this loving God never gives up. He blesses us so that we, His temple, can be restored.

If we have understood that God alone is good, that salvation is only His gratitious gift of grace to us and life only comes from God, then we would not judge and condemn another but we will always forgive. However good we appear or think we are at any point in time, it is only because of His goodness and His grace and life living in us, nothing of our own. We are truly nothing and we might very well become a worse sinner than the one we condemn if we are to rely on ourselves alone.