Daily Readings - Wed Nov 26 2025
Daniel
1Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and each one of them drank according to his age2And so, when they were drunk, he instructed that the vessels of gold and silver should be brought, which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had carried away from the temple, which was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his nobles, and his wives, and the concubines, might drink from them3Then the gold and silver vessels were presented, which he had carried away from the temple and which had been in Jerusalem, and the king, and his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank from them4They drank wine, and they praised their gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, and wood and stone5In the same hour, there appeared fingers, as of the hand of a man, writing on the surface of the wall, opposite the candlestick, in the king’s palace. And the king observed the part of the hand that wrote6Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts disturbed him, and he lost his self-control, and his knees knocked against one other13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke to him, saying, "Are you Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king led out of Judea14I have heard of you, that you have the spirit of the gods, and that greater knowledge, as well as understanding and wisdom, have been found in you16Furthermore, I have heard about you that you can interpret obscure things and solve difficulties. So then, if you succeed in reading the writing, and in revealing its interpretation, you will be clothed with purple, and you will have a chain of gold around your neck, and you will be the third leader in my kingdom.17To this Daniel responded by saying directly to the king, "Your rewards should be for yourself, and the gifts of your house you may give to another, but I will read to you the writing, O king, and I will reveal to you its interpretation23But you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been presented before you. And you, and your nobles, and your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. Likewise, you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, and brass, iron, and wood and stone, who neither see, nor hear, nor feel, yet you have not glorified the God who holds your breath and all your ways in his hand24Therefore, he has sent the part of the hand which has written this, which has been inscribed25But this is the writing that has been decreed: MANE, THECEL, PHARES26And this is the interpretation of the words. MANE: God has numbered your kingdom and has finished it27THECEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking28PHARES: your kingdom has been divided and has been given to the Medes and the Persians
Luke
12But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and into custody, dragging you before kings and governors, because of my name13And this will be an opportunity for you to give testimony14Therefore, set this in your hearts: that you should not consider in advance how you might respond15For I will give to you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to resist or contradict16And you will be handed over by your parents, and brothers, and relatives, and friends. And they will bring about the death of some of you17And you will be hated by all because of my name18And yet, not a hair of your head will perish19By your patience, you shall possess your souls
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the importance of humility and trust in God’s providence. In the first reading from Daniel, we see King Belshazzar’s arrogance as he desecrates the sacred vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem, praising false idols instead of the one true God. This act of defiance leads to a dramatic and supernatural intervention: the mysterious handwriting on the wall, which only Daniel can interpret. The message is clear: Belshazzar’s kingdom will fall because he has forgotten the God who gave him life and power. Daniel’s courage in speaking the truth, even in the face of a king’s anger, shows us the importance of standing firm in our faith, even when it is uncomfortable or risky.
In the Gospel, Jesus prepares His disciples for the challenges they will face. He warns them that they will be persecuted, betrayed, and hated because of His name. Yet, in the midst of these trials, Jesus assures them that He will give them the words to speak and the wisdom to endure. He reminds them that not a hair on their head will perish, and that by their patience, they will possess their souls. This is not a promise of comfort or ease, but a call to trust in God’s plan and to remain faithful even in the face of suffering.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Do we, like Belshazzar, sometimes forget the source of our blessings and take credit for what belongs to God? Or are we willing to humbly acknowledge His sovereignty over all things? When we face challenges or persecution, do we trust in God’s providence, or do we rely on our own strength? The moral lesson is clear: true wisdom comes from recognizing God’s presence in our lives and trusting in His plan, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. Let us strive to live with humility and courage, knowing that God is always with us, guiding us through every trial.