(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. (USCCB recommends: #37. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Hope)
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| “Heavenly Charity” by Simon Vouet, c. 1640 |
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
Readings and Commentary:[4]
Reading 1: Daniel 7:15-27
I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,
and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.
I approached one of those present
and asked him what all this meant in truth;
in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:
“These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms
which shall arise on the earth.
But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,
to possess it forever and ever.”
But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast,
so very terrible and different from the others,
devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws,
and trampling with its feet what was left;
about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up,
before which three horns fell;
about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly,
which appeared greater than its fellows.
For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones
and was victorious until the Ancient One arrived;
judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,
and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
He answered me thus:
“The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth
different from all the others;
It shall devour the whole earth,
beat it down, and crush it.
The ten horns shall be ten kings
rising out of that kingdom;
another shall rise up after them,
Different from those before him,
who shall lay low three kings.
He shall speak against the Most High
and oppress the holy ones of the Most High,
thinking to change the feast days and the law.
They shall be handed over to him
for a year, two years, and a half-year.
But when the court is convened,
and his power is taken away
by final and absolute destruction,
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
shall be given to the holy people of the Most High,
Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:
all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
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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; Revelation 12:14ff).
The four kingdoms were those described by Daniel 2:36-45 in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. They represent the Babylonian (gold), the Median (silver), the Persian (bronze), and the Hellenistic (iron) kingdoms. 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, the 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.
“You sons of men, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
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Commentary on Dn 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
The selection from Daniel, used as a Psalm Response, is once more taken from the chant by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) 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, humankind 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
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
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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. This is not a new notion. C.S. Lewis makes the same point in his wonderful novel: The Screwtape Letters. 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 to which we have obligated ourselves 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 Black 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 infirm 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 and his return in glory. Let us pledge to make this season one in which we reestablish 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.
[2] The Picture is “Heavenly Charity” by Simon Vouet, c. 1640.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] NAB footnote on Daniel 7:7-8.
[6] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 44:149, p. 155.
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