Readings for Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Daniel 2:31-45
In this selection, Daniel interprets the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. The historical implications are given in the footnote for this section: “The four successive kingdoms in this apocalyptic perspective are the Babylonian (gold), the Median (silver), the Persian (bronze), and the Hellenistic (iron). The last, after Alexander's death, was divided among his generals (Daniel 2:41-42). The two resulting kingdoms, which most affected the Jews, were the dynasty of the Ptolemies in Egypt and that of the Seleucids in Syria, who tried in vain, by war and through intermarriage, to restore the unity of Alexander's empire (Daniel 2:43). The stone hewn from the mountain is the messianic kingdom awaited by the Jews (Daniel 2:44-45). Our Lord made this image personal to himself; cf Luke 20:17-18.”
For our purposes the supreme authority of God over all civil and political rulers is the moral.
Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
The selection from Daniel used as a Psalm Response is once more take from the chant of by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is used extensively in the Liturgy of the Hours on Feasts and High Holy Days as our united song of praise to the Father.
Gospel Luke 21:5-11
St. Luke’s Gospel, unlike St. Mark’s account of this eschatological discourse, does not place the end times as being “at hand”. Rather he focuses on the Christian Community living the faith from day to day. He tells the disciples of the coming persecutions and bids them to trust in the Holy Spirit who will keep their souls safe from harm.
Reflection:
The combination of scriptures we are given today will be wonderful to really meditate upon since they come from the same literary genre, apocalyptic. We can almost envision the visions of Daniel as he sees the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, standing in a trance like state before the King, seeing history unfold before him like a production on the Discovery Channel. And when he sees the great rock destroy the statue in the dream, he sees and feels the power of God. He reminds us, the faithful three thousand years in his future, that no geo-political entity has power over the spirit of the faithful. That power belongs to God alone and only to the One True God do we give our praise.
Likewise our Savior in St. Luke’s Gospel sees the Temple destroyed by the Romans some seventy years after his own death and resurrection. It also reminds us that while God’s teaching authority and sacramental power was entrusted to Holy Mother Church, it is her duty and joy to point to a higher power and greater glory in Christ Jesus. Our strength is not the strength of human beings but of the Lord. His resurrection brought the Church, His Bride, into being and his living body, of which we are all a part, proclaims the Father’s greatness throughout the world. Founded upon the great “Rock” St. Peter, it has grown to cover the whole world.
Today we meditate upon the greatness of God, His enduring power and above all his wondrous love. A love so intense that he sent his only Son into the world that though his revelation we might all see the salvation he had planned for us. What greater power can there be than this?
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The Picture used today is The Image and the Stone” by Ted Larson (see Digital Art by Ted Larson)
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Daniel 2:31-45
In this selection, Daniel interprets the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. The historical implications are given in the footnote for this section: “The four successive kingdoms in this apocalyptic perspective are the Babylonian (gold), the Median (silver), the Persian (bronze), and the Hellenistic (iron). The last, after Alexander's death, was divided among his generals (Daniel 2:41-42). The two resulting kingdoms, which most affected the Jews, were the dynasty of the Ptolemies in Egypt and that of the Seleucids in Syria, who tried in vain, by war and through intermarriage, to restore the unity of Alexander's empire (Daniel 2:43). The stone hewn from the mountain is the messianic kingdom awaited by the Jews (Daniel 2:44-45). Our Lord made this image personal to himself; cf Luke 20:17-18.”
For our purposes the supreme authority of God over all civil and political rulers is the moral.
Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
The selection from Daniel used as a Psalm Response is once more take from the chant of by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is used extensively in the Liturgy of the Hours on Feasts and High Holy Days as our united song of praise to the Father.
Gospel Luke 21:5-11
St. Luke’s Gospel, unlike St. Mark’s account of this eschatological discourse, does not place the end times as being “at hand”. Rather he focuses on the Christian Community living the faith from day to day. He tells the disciples of the coming persecutions and bids them to trust in the Holy Spirit who will keep their souls safe from harm.
Reflection:
The combination of scriptures we are given today will be wonderful to really meditate upon since they come from the same literary genre, apocalyptic. We can almost envision the visions of Daniel as he sees the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, standing in a trance like state before the King, seeing history unfold before him like a production on the Discovery Channel. And when he sees the great rock destroy the statue in the dream, he sees and feels the power of God. He reminds us, the faithful three thousand years in his future, that no geo-political entity has power over the spirit of the faithful. That power belongs to God alone and only to the One True God do we give our praise.
Likewise our Savior in St. Luke’s Gospel sees the Temple destroyed by the Romans some seventy years after his own death and resurrection. It also reminds us that while God’s teaching authority and sacramental power was entrusted to Holy Mother Church, it is her duty and joy to point to a higher power and greater glory in Christ Jesus. Our strength is not the strength of human beings but of the Lord. His resurrection brought the Church, His Bride, into being and his living body, of which we are all a part, proclaims the Father’s greatness throughout the world. Founded upon the great “Rock” St. Peter, it has grown to cover the whole world.
Today we meditate upon the greatness of God, His enduring power and above all his wondrous love. A love so intense that he sent his only Son into the world that though his revelation we might all see the salvation he had planned for us. What greater power can there be than this?
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The Picture used today is The Image and the Stone” by Ted Larson (see Digital Art by Ted Larson)
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