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| THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL SOURCE: MY BOOK OF BIBLE STORIES |
REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Christ, like a skillful physician, understands the weakness of men. He loves to teach the ignorant and the erring he turns again to his own true way. He is easily found by those who live by faith and to those of pure eye and holy heart, who desire to knock at the door, he opens immediately.
-- St. Hyppolytus (Treatise on Christ and Antichrist)
Christ, like a skillful physician, understands the weakness of men. He loves to teach the ignorant and the erring he turns again to his own true way. He is easily found by those who live by faith and to those of pure eye and holy heart, who desire to knock at the door, he opens immediately.
-- St. Hyppolytus (Treatise on Christ and Antichrist)
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
(Belshazzar's Banquet)
First Reading: Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
(Belshazzar's Banquet)
1 One night King Belshazzar invited a thousand noblemen to a great banquet, and they drank wine together.
2 While they were drinking, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups and bowls which his father. Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from the Temple in Jerusalem. The king sent for them so that he, his noblemen, his wives, and his concubines could drink out of them.
3 At once the gold cups and bowls were brought in, and they all drank wine out of them
4 and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Suddenly a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the palace, where the light from the lamps was shining most brightly. And the king saw the hand as it was writing.
6 He turned pale and was so frightened that his knees began to shake.
(Daniel Explains the Writing)
13 Daniel was brought at once into the king's presence, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, that Jewish exile whom my father the king brought here from Judah?
14 I have heard that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that you are skillful and have knowledge and wisdom.
16 Now I have heard that you can find hidden meanings and explain mysteries. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in robes of royal purple, wear a gold chain of honor around your neck, and be the third in power in the kingdom.”
17 Daniel replied, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give them to someone else. I will read for Your Majesty what has been written and tell you what it means.
23 You acted against the Lord of heaven and brought in the cups and bowls taken from his Temple. You, your noblemen, your wives, and your concubines drank wine out of them and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that cannot see or hear and that do not know anything. But you did not honor the God who determines whether you live or die and who controls everything you do.
24 That is why God has sent the hand to write these words.
25 “This is what was written: ‘Number, number, weight, divisions.’
26 And this is what it means: number, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;
27 weight, you have been weighed on the scales and found to be too light;
28 divisions, your kingdom is divided up and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Psalms:Daniel 3:62-67
62 Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
63 Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
64 Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
65 All you winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
66 Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
67 Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Gospel: Luke 21:12-19
12 Before all these things take place, however, you will be arrested and persecuted; you will be handed over to be tried in synagogues and be put in prison; you will be brought before kings and rulers for my sake.
13 This will be your chance to tell the Good News.
14 Make up your minds ahead of time not to worry about how you will defend yourselves,
15 because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say.
16 You will be handed over by your parents, your brothers, your relatives, and your friends; and some of you will be put to death.
17 Everyone will hate you because of me.
18 But not a single hair from your heads will be lost.
19 Stand firm, and you will save yourselves.
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