The prayers of the afflicted are described as a “desert owl”. Owls do not fly in flocks so they know isolation. A desert owl is not only isolated but the land around him is also very desolate. The prayers of the afflicted person would not only seem to spring from such an environment, but they would seem as if they were their last words. Their hope would only be in God. It seems so relevant today even though this was written thousands of years ago. These prayers are still being prayed today by people being persecuted in the midst of wars such as Syria, Ukraine and Africa. We too, even in America, may pass them by on every street corner. We see, but do we see the desert owls in our lives. We are reminded of the words of the disciples, “when did we see you hungry, when did we see you naked and when did we see you in prison?” We all see the afflicted everyday whether they are afflicted by storm, by illness, by addiction or by the ravages of war. But how is our heart for the desert owls in our lives?