Who are the Wild Animals or Predatory Beasts?

We are entering ዘመነ ጽጌ (zemene ssigay - the season of the flower) in the EOTC calendar. Our lady, the Holy Virgin Mary, is remembered as lovingly hugging our lord and escaping with him and her betrothed the righteous Joseph to the land of Egypt. That is a scriptural trope that we see time after time. Repetition is not accidental, rather it is intentional and a method of emphasis for the sake of instruction unto life.

During one of my reflections I connected the dots betwixt an intercessory prayer to the Virgin found in the EOTC daily prayers and the scroll of Ezekiel. Ezekiel is a fantastic scroll that should be eaten by us all as frequently as we have the stomach for and beyond. Chapter 34 of Ezekiel is about shepherds; the bad and the good. The bad are legion, the good is one. The bad are false teachers. The good is our only teacher. Mary always pointed toward Him.

The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. (Ezekiel 34:1-3 NRSV)

 they became food for all the wild animals (verse 5)

 ሰላም ለኪ እንዘ ንሰግድ ንብለኪ ማርያም እምነ ናስተበቍዐኪ እምአርዌ ነአዊ ተማኅፀነ ብኪ 

as we prostrate before you, we say salutations to you Mary, our mother, and trust your intercession will protect us from wild animals 

Mary prays on our behalf so that we can see the light of the instruction of the one instructor her beloved son Jesus. When we see this light, we know that her intercession is working.