Daily Readings - Fri Dec 01 2023
Daniel
1In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and a vision in his head on his bed. And, writing down the dream, he understood it in a concise manner, and so, summarizing it tersely, he said2I saw in my vision at night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens fought upon the great sea3And four great beasts, different from one another, ascended from the sea4The first was like a lioness and had the wings of an eagle. I watched as its wings were plucked off, and it was raised from the earth and stood on its feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it5And behold, another beast, like a bear, stood to one side, and there were three rows in its mouth and in its teeth, and they spoke to it in this way: "Arise, devour much flesh.6After this, I watched, and behold, another like a leopard, and it had wings like a bird, four upon it, and four heads were on the beast, and power was given to it7After this, I watched in the vision of the night, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible yet wondrous, and exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth, eating yet crushing, and trampling down the remainder with his feet, but it was unlike the other beasts, which I had seen before it, and it had ten horns8I considered the horns, and behold, another little horn rose out of the midst of them. And three of the first horns were rooted out by its presence. And behold, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking unnatural things9I watched until thrones were set up, and the ancient of days sat down. His garment was radiant like snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool; his throne was flames of fire, its wheels had been set on fire10A river of fire rushed forth from his presence. Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times hundreds of thousands attended before him. The trial began, and the books were opened11I watched because of the voice of the great words which that horn was speaking, and I saw that the beast had been destroyed, and its body was ruined and had been handed over to be burnt with fire12Likewise, the power of the other beasts was taken away, and a limited time of life was appointed to them, until one time and another13I watched, therefore, in the vision of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man arrived, and he approached all the way to the ancient of days, and they presented him before him14And he gave him power, and honor, and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and languages will serve him. His power is an eternal power, which will not be taken away, and his kingdom, one which will not be corrupted
Luke
29And he told them a comparison: "Take notice of the fig tree and of all the trees30When presently they produce fruit from themselves, you know that summer is near31So you also, when you will have seen these things happen, know that the kingdom of God is near32Amen I say to you, this lineage shall not pass away, until all these things happen33Heaven and earth shall pass away. But my words shall not pass away
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter vivid imagery and profound truths about God’s ultimate triumph and our call to readiness. The first reading from Daniel describes a vision of four beasts rising from the sea, symbolizing the rise and fall of earthly powers. The fourth beast, with its terrifying strength and ten horns, represents the ultimate human pride and rebellion against God. Yet, the vision shifts to the Ancient of Days, who judges the beasts and destroys them, while the “son of man” receives dominion over all peoples. This vision reminds us that earthly powers, no matter how formidable, are temporary and will be judged by God, who will establish His eternal kingdom.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree to teach about vigilance and trust in God’s plan. Just as the fig tree’s budding signals the approach of summer, so too will the signs of the times signal the nearness of God’s kingdom. Jesus assures us that while heaven and earth will pass away, His words will endure forever. This teaching invites us to live with hope and confidence, trusting that God’s promises are unshakable, even in uncertain times.
Together, these readings call us to focus on what truly endures. While earthly powers and human achievements may seem all-consuming, they are fleeting. What matters most is our relationship with God and our readiness to receive His kingdom. Let us cultivate a spirit of trust and vigilance, knowing that God’s word is our anchor in every storm. May we live each day with hearts open to His will, confident that His kingdom will prevail.