(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed. [1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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| “Heavenly Charity” by Simon Vouet, c. 1640 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Daniel 7:15-27
Commentary on Dn 7:15-27
This selection from the Book of Daniel contains the interpretation of his dream which was described in the first fifteen verses of this chapter. Much of this imagery is consistent with but had different meanings from what was later used by St. John in his Revelation (see Revelation 11:2; Revelation12:14ff).
The four kingdoms were those described in Daniel 2:36-45 in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. They represent the Babylonian (gold), the Median (silver), the Persian (bronze), and the Hellenistic (iron). The image of the final kingdom is interpreted in St. John’s Revelation as being the Roman Empire, in this instance it refers to Alexander’s kingdom.
“Alexander's empire was different from all the others in that it was Western rather than Oriental in inspiration. The ten horns represent the kings of the Seleucid dynasty, the only part of the Hellenistic empire that concerned the author. The little horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163 B.C.), the worst of the Seleucid kings, who usurped the throne.”[5]
The reference to the persecutions of the holy ones by the “fourth beast” points at Antiochus IV. He attempted to force the Jews to give up their customs and adopt Hellenistic traditions (1 Maccabees 1:33-34). The Ancient One in this setting refers to God the Father; we might also interpret these remarks prophetically, as referring to the Christ, the Son, eternally begotten of the Father. In the final verses, heavenly court is convened and God’s eternal reign is promised.
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Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Commentary on Dn 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
The selection from Daniel used as a Psalm Response is once more take from the chant by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is is broken into three litanies. This selection begins the third. It is a blessing on those faithful to God. We note with interest that earlier in this series of litanies, human kind was also blessed, but distinct from the faithful. The authors clearly classified gentiles and pagans as separate from the faithful ones of Israel.
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Gospel: Luke 21:34-36
Commentary on Lk 21:34-36
This selection is the end of Jesus' final public exhortation before his passion and death. Some scholars have speculated that the Gospel author could be using a fragment of some forgotten scroll from St. Paul because the Hellenistic form is so similar (see 1 Thessalonians 5:4).
"It is clear from this short section that Luke (different from 1 Thessalonians) eliminated the idea of an immediate Parousia. Sudden trials will strike everyone, and so there is need of continual vigilance. Everyone, however, will eventually take part in the Parousia. How a person lives now, determines how he will 'stand before the Son of Man.'" [6] Jesus reminds his disciples not to become complacent in their practice of the faith. It is one of his sternest warnings that the end will come without notice and judgment will be immediate.
CCC: Lk 21:34-36 2612
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Reflection:
On this last day of the liturgical year, please forgive me as I preach to myself. Those of us who are fervent in the practice of our faith face a great danger. The danger is that the practice of our faith becomes an end in itself. That is, we fall into the trap the Pharisees fell into, where the rigor we apply to insuring we are true to our traditions [and rubrics] becomes an object of pride. Or we have given so much to trying to follow God’s word that the acts of charity we have obligated ourselves to have begun to seem like a job, rather than a joyful sacrifice to Him who has given us everything.
When we begin embracing the practice of our faith or obsessing on some part of our ministry for the sake of that ministry, something very important is lost – we stop being present to God. That may sound cliché, but it simply means we have become so self-involved that the spirit is no longer being considered, only the activity.
Let’s look at this time of year from a secular perspective as our extreme example. These past few days in the United States are the busiest shopping days of the year. The malls and shops are packed with people shopping for gifts – looking for bargains so that on Christmas morning (whether they are Christian or not) they might have that special gift (at the best possible price) for a friend or family member. For many who were out at 4:00 AM on Friday morning it was the act of shopping that was the object of attraction – not the love of the person for whom they were buying (although in many cases they were shopping for themselves so that does break down a little). Does that not happen to us as well? Does the act of worship become more important than the object of our worship?
There are different ways of becoming complacent about our faith. We can make prayer a rote activity we have pledged to do and we can take for granted that we will go to Mass. We may even take pride in a perfect act of contrition or in the fact that we visited twenty six infirmed people in one week. We must step back and ask ourselves – but are we present to Christ in these activities? For whom did we do these things?
Tomorrow we begin our Advent season and look joyfully to the Nativity of Jesus the Christ. Let us pledge to make this season one in which we re-establish our unity with Christ in worship and join him in our humble praise of our Heavenly Father, who sent us such a gift.
Pax
[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5
[3] The Picture is “Heavenly Charity” by Simon Vouet, c. 1640
[5] See NAB footnote on Daniel 7:7-8
[6] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 44:149, pp. 155
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