Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

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: #28. The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary or #37. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Hope)

“Heavenly Charity”
by Simon Vouet, c. 1640

 
Readings for Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
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.”
-------------------------------------------
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.
 
-------------------------------------------
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.
-------------------------------------------
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.
 
-------------------------------------------
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.”
-------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------
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

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[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.

Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“The Vision of Daniel” (detail)
by  Willem Drost, 1650

 
Readings for Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Daniel 7:2-14
 
In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.”
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
 
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
 
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
 
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 7:2-14
 
This selection from the Book of Daniel, called "Daniel’s dream," is the first of four apocalyptic visions presented. Scripture scholars agree that the vision of the four beasts represents four successive pagan empires: the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, and the Greeks. These kingdoms are represented by different metals (see Daniel 2) and the numeric value of the horns represents the numbers of rulers in the various kingdoms.
 
The last horn of the fourth beast, the final ruler (a little horn, sprang out of their midst) is considered to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the final Greek ruler who persecuted the Hebrews before that kingdom collapsed (see 1 Maccabees 1:41-64). The vision of the heavenly court that follows describes how two of the beasts (the Medes and the Persians, now greatly diminished) are allowed to survive for a period. The Messianic King (“One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven”) comes from above, whereas the four beasts come from below. This kingdom is established for all eternity: “his kingship shall not be destroyed.”
 
CCC: Dn 7:10 678; Dn 7:13 440; Dn 7:14 664
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Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
 
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
 
“All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
 
The selection from Daniel used as a psalm response is once more taken from the chant by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego still singing from the furnace. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is broken into three litanies. This selection begins the second.  It praises God's creation of the earth and the life that flourishes by his will.  Subsequent sections praise humankind in its various categories.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:29-33
 
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:29-33
 
As part of his discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem, St. Luke’s Gospel gives us the parable of the fig tree (see also Mark 13:28-32 and Matthew 24:32-35). In Palestine, nothing looks as dead in the winter as a fig tree. However, in the spring fig trees bloom to new life (see also Joel 2:22). This imagery is seen at two levels. First, the Lord himself must undergo his passion before taking his place at the right hand of the Father. Second, more prophetically, the Christian community must also undergo trials before coming to its own springtime of rebirth, alluding to the persecutions to come.
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
One of the greatest barriers to manned interplanetary travel is the fact that when exposed to weightlessness, the human body loses bone mass at an alarming rate.  Astronauts who serve six months at the international space station expect to lose ten percent of their bone density in that time.  When they come back, they must go through rigorous rehabilitation to recover from these effects in spite of the fact that they work out every day when they are off world.
 
Why is this?  It is because gravity is absent.  The lack of gravity tells the body it does not need all that structural support, so it erodes, as do the muscles that drive them. In the Gospel, the parable of the fig tree does not speak to this phenomenon, but it does prove the same point.  When we as Christians are not challenged, when we simply take for granted that our faith is unopposed, it erodes just like bone density in an astronaut.
 
The worst part of the erosion of our faith is we may not notice it until we really need strength of faith.  When we reach out for those reserves of strength that flow from faith and find that they have been depleted we may find ourselves in real trouble.  It is for this reason that we should rejoice when we are persecuted and thank those who challenge our beliefs.  We recently took a fairly hard shot at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  Given that they challenge Christians in a society that was until recently the majority religion in our country (now it’s the “none’s,” those who have no religious preference, the spiritually bereft), they provide a valuable service.  They make sure we do not become complacent and find our faith weakened to a point of non-existence. (Given recent developments such as the Supreme Court decision to redefine marriage and the persecution of the Church by LGBT supporters it looks like we may be in for some serious muscle-building.)
 
Today’s selections tell us that our period of testing is not over and that we should expect even stronger pressure against our fundamental beliefs and morals.  Expecting this challenge, we must make the effort now to strengthen our spiritual core.
 
As we think about all of the visions we are given in Scripture of the trials and persecutions the Church and its Hebrew ancestors underwent, let us thank God for that resistance. Those times of testing gave us strength.  As we recall the lives of martyrs, we give thanks to God because they showed us how to endure the trials that may come.  The Lord tells us in parable that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die if it is to have new life.  Let us accept the trials that come our way, welcoming them as a chance to exercise our faith and grow stronger in it.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Vision of Daniel” (detail) by  Willem Drost, 1650.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, apart from 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.

Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time - Thanksgiving Day (USA)

 

In the Dioceses of the United States: Mass for Thanksgiving Day

“Daniel in the Lion’s Den”
by Pieter Pauwel Rubens, 1615

 
Readings for Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Daniel 6:12-28
 
Some men rushed into the upper chamber of Daniel’s home
and found him praying and pleading before his God.
Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition:
“Did you not decree, O king,
that no one is to address a petition to god or man
for thirty days, except to you, O king;
otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?”
The king answered them, “The decree is absolute,
irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law.”
To this they replied, “Daniel, the Jewish exile,
has paid no attention to you, O king,
or to the decree you issued;
three times a day he offers his prayer.”
The king was deeply grieved at this news
and he made up his mind to save Daniel;
he worked till sunset to rescue him.
But these men insisted.
They said, “Keep in mind, O king,
that under the Mede and Persian law
every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable.”
So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions’ den.
To Daniel he said,
“May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you.”
To forestall any tampering,
the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords
the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den.
 
Then the king returned to his palace for the night;
he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers.
Since sleep was impossible for him,
the king rose very early the next morning
and hastened to the lions’ den.
As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully,
“O Daniel, servant of the living God,
has the God whom you serve so constantly
been able to save you from the lions?”
Daniel answered the king: “O king, live forever!
My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths
so that they have not hurt me.
For I have been found innocent before him;
neither to you have I done any harm, O king!”
This gave the king great joy.
At his order Daniel was removed from the den,
unhurt because he trusted in his God.
The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel,
along with their children and their wives,
to be cast into the lions’ den.
Before they reached the bottom of the den,
the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
 
Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language,
wherever they dwell on the earth: “All peace to you!
I decree that throughout my royal domain
the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared:
 
“For he is the living God, enduring forever;
his Kingdom shall not be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be without end.
He is a deliverer and savior,
working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth,
and he delivered Daniel from the lions’ power.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 6:12-28
 
The story of Daniel in the lions’ den is one of the great tales from the Old Testament. We find the moral compelling: Daniel’s faithfulness to God and his refusal to abandon his faith and pray to King Darius is rewarded by God. Daniel is thrown into a deep pit where lions are kept. The pit is sealed so he cannot escape. The king is amazed at Daniel’s salvation through an angel of the Lord who came to seal the jaws of the lions so no harm would come to him. So miraculous was this salvific event that the King proclaimed that only the Lord is God and he alone should be worshiped throughout the kingdoms of Media and Persia.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74
 
R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 3:68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74
 
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) it is broken into three litanies. This selection concludes the first.  It praises God's creation of physical phenomena.  Subsequent sections praise all that grows upon the earth and finally humankind in its various categories.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:20-28
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
 
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:20-28
 
The apocalyptic discourse continues in St. Luke’s Gospel. The first part of this section deals with the destruction of Jerusalem (which actually took place in 70 AD). Since this event took place before the Gospel was published, Luke and his community look back upon the event. This provides the assurance that, just as Jesus' prediction of Jerusalem's destruction was fulfilled, so too will the announcement of their final redemption come to pass. The prediction itself is validated by the historical account of Eusebius of Casoria. When the Christians saw the approach of the Roman armies they recalled Christ’s prediction and fled across the Jordan.[4]
 
The second part of the reading provides a description of the actual events of the end times. The Lord assures his disciples that he will return and those who follow him should not be afraid, even as the terrible signs manifest themselves upon the earth.
 
CCC: Lk 21:24 58, 674; Lk 21:27 671, 697
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
Sacred Scripture holds up Daniel’s faithfulness and Jesus’ assurance that those of us who are faithful will find redemption in him.  How can we not be attracted to the story and example of Daniel at this time of year?  The analogy is so apt. 
 
Let’s set Daniel’s story in contemporary times:  Daniel was a faithful Christian but was ordered by civil mandate that he must refrain from any mention of his God or faith publicly.  One Christmas he decided he would erect a manger scene in his front yard.  Some members of his community association ran immediately to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and demanded that they sue Daniel for violating this mandate.
 
The judge did not want to try the case because Daniel was a well-respected member of the community, and he too was a Christian (although a secret one for fear of the ACLU).  Because the rules said so, he was forced to bring the case to trial.  The attorney for the ACLU roared like a lion.  “How dare Daniel insult the non-Christians by erecting the despicable symbol of a post-natal family gathering in a farmyard in his front yard, against the rules of his community association?”
 
But during deliberations, an angel of the Lord came (invisibly) to the jury and influenced them to find that the rules did not prohibit the display of religious symbols.  So impressed were the members of the Daniel’s community that a proclamation went out throughout the neighborhood and all of the Christians decorated their yards and put up Christmas trees and God saw all this and thought it was good.
 
The story may seem fanciful, but the message found throughout Scripture is clear. Our faith in the Triune God and all the Lord stands for will come under attack by those who desire power over us.  Our sacred duty is to stay faithful to the teachings and morality handed down to us through the millennia as the sacred trust of Holy Mother Church and passed faithfully on to us.  As we have always seen, failure can have eternal consequences.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” by Pieter Pauwel Rubens, 1615.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] 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.
[4] History of the Church from Christ to Constantine Vol. 3,Ch 5, 3.

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“Belshazzar's Feast”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1635

a 
Readings for Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
 
King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,
with whom he drank.
Under the influence of the wine,
he ordered the gold and silver vessels
which Nebuchadnezzar, his father,
had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,
to be brought in so that the king, his lords,
his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.
When the gold and silver vessels
taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,
and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers
were drinking wine from them,
they praised their gods of gold and silver,
bronze and iron, wood and stone.
 
Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,
the fingers of a human hand appeared,
writing on the plaster of the wall in the king’s palace.
When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;
his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,
and his knees knocked.
 
Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.
The king asked him, “Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,
whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?
I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,
that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;
if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,
you shall be clothed in purple,
wear a gold collar about your neck,
and be third in the government of the kingdom.”
 
Daniel answered the king:
“You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;
but the writing I will read for you, O king,
and tell you what it means.
You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.
You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,
so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,
might drink wine from them;
and you praised the gods of silver and gold,
bronze and iron, wood and stone,
that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.
But the God in whose hand is your life breath
and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.
By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.
 
“This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
These words mean:
MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;
TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;
PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
 
In this reading from the Book of Daniel, the son of Nebuchadnezzar (actually a crown prince), Belshazzar, profanes the spoils of the temple in Jerusalem at a huge party. In the midst of the revelry the vision of a hand writes words on the wall that none of the court scholars or wise men can interpret. At that point, Daniel is brought in and offered a huge reward to interpret the writing. He declines the reward and tells the prince how the words are interpreted.
 
The words written, Mene, Tekel, and Peres, according to scholars, are Aramaic names for weights and monetary values: “the mina, the shekel (the sixtieth part of a mina), and the parsu (a half-mina).” Daniel’s interpretation plays on these words. “Mene, (is) connected with the verb meaning to number; Tekel, with the verb meaning to weigh; Peres, with the verb meaning to divide. There is also a play on the last term with the word for Persians.” [4]
 
The underlying meaning we take from this story is the vision of the God of justice who, in the eyes of the faithful, rejects those who reject him, and that structures built upon such greed will not stand. In the full text of this chapter this meaning is punctuated by the death of Belshazzar who is slain the night of the party.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
 
R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
 
The selection from Daniel, used as a psalm response, is once more taken from the chant by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they defy death in the furnace. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is broken into three litanies. This is part of the first.  It praises God's creation in the world.  Subsequent sections praise all that grows upon the earth and finally humankind in its various categories.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:12-19
 
Jesus said to the crowd:
“They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:12-19
 
The apocalyptic discourse from St. Luke’s Gospel continues as Jesus, who has just predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, now tells the crowd that this does not mean the end time has come. He predicts the great persecutions that will take place. The subject of how the gospel message will divide families is once more brought up.  The Lord informs those present that persecution will take place within families as well as in society at large.
 
The gospel being proclaimed by the Lord's followers will result in persecution from every side for the early Christian community. Jesus foresees this time of intense persecution and asks for a steadfast response. By not preparing a defense, he is asking that those persecuted not recant the faith and promises them the reward of the martyrs. The passage concludes with a restatement of the promise of salvation for those who remain faithful: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
 
CCC: Lk 21:12 675
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
The lesson from these Scripture selections is that the foundation of whatever we build in our lives must be securely grounded in our faith values.  If we examine what has transpired in the reading and psalm response from Daniel, we see a clear picture unfolding.  King Nebuchadnezzar is seen by the early Hebrews as being a destructive force that God allowed to capture and sack Jerusalem and the temple.  Essentially, he is viewed as an instrument of punishment for the faithlessness of the people. 
 
King Nebuchadnezzar’s actions, in the view of the authors of Daniel, go too far.  The spoils of the temple of Jerusalem are taken to the king’s son, Belshazzar, who profanes them by using the temple’s sacred vessels to toast the graven images worshiped by the Babylonians.  God’s hand writes the doom of this kingdom on the wall of the hall in which the celebratory party is being held.  Daniel’s interpretation is seen as the judgment of God upon those who hedonistically trample the sacred underfoot for human profit.  The Hebrew vision of the God of justice is fulfilled quickly as this story ends with the death of Belshazzar, which takes place that very evening, validating the truth of Daniel’s interpretation.
 
The moral we take away from this story is tempered by the New Covenant.  When the Lord came, he showed us a new vision of God.  Indeed, that was a major purpose in his coming.  He revealed a Father who is loving and merciful.  Through our new understanding we see Nebuchadnezzar as a godless barbarian whose cruelty and debauchery earned him the rewards of what was sown, as do all the servants of the Evil One.  Created with free will, Belshazzar established a moral environment in which his own death was assured.  But the lesson is not lost on us.  We see how important it is to stay firmly grounded in Christ.  If we fall prey to human weakness and profane that which is holy, we too walk in the steps of those who tread in darkness.
 
Today our prayer is that all we accomplish may be held up for God’s greater glory and that with great care, we will keep all that is sacred and holy safe from the poison of sin.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Belshazzar's Feast” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1635.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] 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.
[4] NAB footnote on Daniel 5:25.

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial for St. Catherine of Alexandria

Biographical information about St. Catherine of Alexandria

"The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem"
by Francesco Hayez (1791-1882)

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Daniel 2:31-45
 
Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:
“In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,
very large and exceedingly bright,
terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
The head of the statue was pure gold,
its chest and arms were silver,
its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,
its feet partly iron and partly tile.
While you looked at the statue,
a stone which was hewn from a mountain
without a hand being put to it,
struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.
The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,
fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,
and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.
But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.
 
“This was the dream;
the interpretation we shall also give in the king’s presence.
You, O king, are the king of kings;
to you the God of heaven
has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,
he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;
you are the head of gold.
Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,
then a third kingdom, of bronze,
which shall rule over the whole earth.
There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;
it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.
The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter’s tile and partly of iron,
mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,
but yet have some of the hardness of iron.
As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,
and the toes partly iron and partly tile,
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
The iron mixed with clay tile
means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,
but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain
without a hand being put to it,
which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 2:31-45
 
In this selection, Daniel interprets the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. “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.” [4] The important point of this vision for the faithful is - God has supreme authority over all civil and political rulers.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61
 
R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
 
“All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61
 
The selection from Daniel, used as a psalm response, is taken from the chant sung by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they were cast into a furnace to be burned. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is broken into three litanies. This is the first.  It praises God's active presence in the world.  Subsequent sections praise all that grows upon the earth and finally humankind in its various categories.
 
CCC: Dn 3:57-58 2416
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:5-11
 
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
 
Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:5-11
 
This selection is part of St. Luke’s version of Jesus' eschatological (end times) discourse. This version differs significantly from the version found in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 13:1-37) in that it does not anticipate the Parousia (Second Coming) within the lifetime of the audience. We note from many of St. Paul’s epistles that the early Christian community anticipated that Jesus was coming again within their lifetimes.
 
In this passage, Jesus points to events in the future as opposed to those that would have occurred during the author’s lifetime. St. Luke focuses on the Christian community living the faith from day to day. He relates how Jesus told the disciples of the coming persecutions and bid them to trust in the Holy Spirit who would keep their souls safe from harm.
 
CCC: Lk 21:4 2544
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
As we reflect upon the two eschatological readings given today, we are struck by the underlying premise that the truly important things in life are not material.  In point of fact, all things material must pass away.  If we pour our hearts into such things, whether it is the accumulation of wealth or the labor of our hands, in the end these “things” will pass away.  While taken by itself this may seem rather depressing, there is good news here as well.
 
The implication of both the readings from Daniel and the Gospel of St. Luke is that, while the physical structures of this world are transient and they will fail, the material that they are made of will take on new form. There is something eternal.  It is a state of being that exists, not in Einsteinian space/time, but outside those temporal boundaries.  (Sorry for the lapse into physics but it is the only way to distinguish the physical and the metaphysical.)
 
This state of being we call the soul has an eternal quality and is of ultimate importance.  The indwelling Holy Spirit will form our resurrected bodies that we must take care to strengthen and preserve from harm.  This is wonderful news because no matter what the world cares to throw at us, no matter how painful or depressing our physical condition, we can rise above it if we keep our eyes focused on that which is love itself, the indwelling Spirit of God.
 
This Spirit will be unaffected by any cataclysm, regardless of scope.  This is the divine spark that we see as part of the Lord himself.  Our actions, our passions should be directed to preserving, building, and glorifying that which is indestructible, rather than physical things that will pass away.
 
As we charge toward our Advent of joy, let us pray that our eyes will always be focused clearly on the important and eternal, and not be caught up in the secular drive for the material.
 
Pax

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[1] The Picture used is "The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem" by Francesco Hayez (1791-1882).
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] 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.
[4] NAB footnote on Daniel 2:36-45.