Daily Readings - Tue Nov 28 2017
First Reading - Daniel 2.3, 9a, 10a, 27a, 31-45
Daniel
3And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.9But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.10The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.27Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;31Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.32This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,33His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.34Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.36This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.37Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.38And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.39And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.40And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.41And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.43And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.45Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Gospel - Luke 21.5-11
Luke
5And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,6As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.7And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?8And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.9But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.10Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:11And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the fleeting nature of human power and the enduring reality of God’s kingdom. In the first reading from Daniel, we hear the story of a king’s dream and its interpretation. The statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay represents successive kingdoms rising and falling, each weaker than the last. The stone that shatters the statue symbolizes God’s kingdom, which will never be destroyed. Daniel’s vision reminds us that all human empires, no matter how powerful, will pass away, while God’s reign endures forever. This prophecy is not just about the past but also about the future, calling us to trust in God’s plan even when the world around us seems unstable.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the destruction of the temple, a structure that was the heart of Jewish life and worship. While some marveled at its beauty and grandeur, Jesus warned that even this magnificent building would be reduced to rubble. He also cautioned against false messiahs and the turmoil that would precede the end times. Jesus’ words remind us that true security and hope cannot be found in earthly structures or human achievements. Instead, we are called to remain vigilant and rooted in faith, trusting that God’s plan will ultimately prevail.
Both readings challenge us to live with our eyes fixed on what truly lasts. In a world marked by change and uncertainty, we are invited to place our trust in God’s eternal kingdom. This means living with humility, recognizing that all human power and achievement are temporary, and seeking to align our lives with God’s will. As we navigate the ups and downs of life, may we find strength in the knowledge that God’s kingdom is unshakable, and may we strive to live as faithful stewards of the eternal truths He has revealed to us.