Daily Readings - Mon Nov 22 2021
Daniel
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it2And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim the king of Judah and a portion of the vessels of the house of God. And he carried them away into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasure chamber of his god3And the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of the eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the sons of Israel, and some of the offspring of the king and of the sovereigns4young men, in whom there was no blemish, noble in appearance, and accomplished in all wisdom, cautious in knowledge, and well-educated, and who could stand in the palace of the king, so that he might teach them the letters and the language of the Chaldeans5And the king appointed for them provisions for each day, from his own food and from the wine which he himself drank, so that, after being nourished for three years, they would stand in the sight of the king6Now, among those of the sons of Judah, there were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah8But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not be polluted with the king’s meal, nor with the wine he drank, and he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not be contaminated9And so God gave Daniel grace and mercy in the sight of the leader of the eunuchs10And the leader of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed food and drink for you, who, if he should see that your faces are leaner than those of the other youths your age, you would condemn my head to the king.11And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the leader of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah12"I beg you to test us, your servants, for ten days, and let roots be given to us to eat and water to drink13and then observe our faces, and the faces of the children who eat the king’s food, and then deal with your servants according to what you see.14When he had heard these words, he tested them for ten days15But, after ten days, their faces appeared better and fatter than all the children who had eaten from the king’s food16Thereafter, Malasar took away their portions and their wine for drinking, and he gave them roots17Yet, to these children, God gave knowledge and instruction in every book, and wisdom, but to Daniel, also the understanding of all visions and dreams18And when the time was completed, after which the king had said that they would be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before the sight of Nebuchadnezzar19And, when the king conversed with them, there had not been found any so great in all the world as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they stood in the sight of the king20And in every concept of wisdom and understanding, about which the king consulted with them, he found them to be ten times better than all the seers and astrologers put together, who were in his entire kingdom
Luke
1And looking around, he saw the wealthy putting their donations into the offertory2Then he also saw a certain widow, a pauper, putting in two small brass coins3And he said: "Truly, I say to you, that this poor widow has put in more than all the others4For all these, out of their abundance, have added to the gifts for God. But she, out of what she needed, has put in all that she had to live on.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful lessons on faith, integrity, and generosity. The first reading from Daniel recounts the story of Daniel and his companions in Babylon, who, despite being in exile, remained faithful to their God. They refused the king's food and wine, choosing instead a simpler diet of vegetables and water. This act of faith not only preserved their identity but also brought them wisdom and favor in the eyes of God and the king. Their trust in God’s providence led to their success in the royal court, demonstrating that true strength comes from staying true to one’s beliefs even in challenging circumstances.
In the Gospel, Luke presents a contrasting scene in the Temple, where Jesus observes the wealthy giving large sums to the treasury and a poor widow offering just two small coins. Jesus highlights the widow’s offering as the greatest, not because of its monetary value, but because it represented her entire livelihood. This act of selfless giving reflects her deep trust in God’s care, much like Daniel’s trust in refusing the king’s provisions. Both stories remind us that our relationship with God is not measured by external appearances or material wealth but by the depth of our faith and the sincerity of our actions.
As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to examine our own lives. How do we respond to challenges? Do we trust in God’s plan, even when it requires sacrifice? How do we use the resources we have? The widow’s two coins teach us that true generosity is not about how much we give but about the love and trust with which we give. Let us strive to live with integrity, trusting in God’s providence, and offering ourselves fully to Him, just as Daniel and the widow did. In doing so, we may find that our small acts of faith and generosity can have a profound impact in God’s eyes.