Daily Readings - Tue Nov 26 2019
Daniel
3he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means. "9If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me."10The astrologers answered the king, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.27Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,31"You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue-an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.32The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,33its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.34While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.36"This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.37You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory;38in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.39"After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.40Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron-for iron breaks and smashes everything-and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.41Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay.42As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.43And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.44"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.45This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands-a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy."
Luke
5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said,6"As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."7"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"8He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them.9When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about the nature of human existence and the eternal reign of God. The first reading from Daniel describes a dream of a statue representing successive kingdoms, each less glorious than the last, culminating in their destruction by a stone symbolizing God's kingdom. This serves as a reminder that all earthly powers are transient, while God's kingdom endures forever. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus warning about the temple's destruction and the chaos preceding the end times, urging vigilance against deception and false messiahs.
Both readings are set in contexts where hope was scarce. Daniel's vision came during the Israelites' exile, offering comfort that God's plan would prevail despite their current hardships. Luke's passage is part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, preparing his followers for Jerusalem's fall and future trials, emphasizing trust in God's timing and plan.
These readings relate by highlighting the impermanence of human structures and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. Daniel's progression of kingdoms leading to God's reign mirrors Luke's warning against earthly securities, urging faith in eternal truths. Applying this to daily life, we are reminded to trust in God's plan amidst uncertainty, focusing on eternal values over temporary concerns.
The moral lesson is clear: faith and trust in God are our anchors amidst life's turmoil. We are encouraged to live with hope, knowing God's kingdom will prevail, and to remain steadfast, avoiding the allure of false promises. Let us embrace this truth, finding strength in God's eternal plan.