Daily Readings - Wed Nov 29 2017

Daniel

1King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.2While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.3So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.4As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.5Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.6His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.13So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?14I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.16Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom."17Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.23Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.24Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.25"This is the inscription that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin26"This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.27Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.28Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Luke

12"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.13This will result in your being witnesses to them.14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.17All men will hate you because of me.18But not a hair of your head will perish.19By standing firm you will gain life.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about pride, humility, and trust in God’s providence. The first reading from Daniel recounts the story of Belshazzar, the king who defiantly used sacred vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem to toast his gods during a lavish feast. His arrogance was met with a mysterious and terrifying sign: a hand writing a message of judgment on the wall. Daniel, the prophet, interpreted the writing, declaring the end of Belshazzar’s reign. This story reminds us that pride and disregard for the divine can lead to downfall, while humility and faith in God’s wisdom bring true understanding and grace. The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to the challenges of discipleship. Jesus warns His followers that they will face persecution, betrayal, and even death because of His name. Yet, in the midst of such trials, He assures them that He will give them the words and wisdom to testify to the truth. This passage invites us to reflect on our own willingness to stand firm in faith, even when the world opposes us. Like Daniel, who trusted God’s plan despite the dangers, we are called to remain steadfast, knowing that our perseverance will ultimately lead to the triumph of God’s will. Both readings encourage us to trust in God’s providence and to live with courage and integrity. In a world often marked by pride and division, we are called to be humble, to seek wisdom, and to remain faithful, even in the face of adversity. May we, like Daniel, interpret the signs of our times with hearts open to God’s truth, and may we, like the disciples, bear witness to the power of His name with patience and hope.