Wednesday, November 28, 2007
THURSDAY 34TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
THURSDAY 34TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR I
DANIEL 6:12-28
Some men rushed into the upper chamber of Daniel's home and found him
praying and pleading before his God. Then they went to remind the
king about the prohibition: "Did you not decree, O king, that no one
is to address a petition to god or man for thirty days, except to
you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?" The
king answered them, "The decree is absolute, irrevocable under the
Mede and Persian law." To this they replied, "Daniel, the Jewish
exile, has paid no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you
issued; three times a day he offers his prayer." The king was deeply
grieved at this news and he made up his mind to save Daniel; he
worked till sunset to rescue him. But these men insisted. They
said, "Keep in mind, O king, that under the Mede and Persian law
every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable." So the king
ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions' den. To Daniel
he said, "May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you." To
forestall any tampering, the king sealed with his own ring and the
rings of the lords the stone that had been brought to block the
opening of the den. Then the king returned to his palace for the
night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since
sleep was impossible for him, the king rose very early the next
morning and hastened to the lions' den. As he drew near, he cried out
to Daniel sorrowfully, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the
God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the
lions?" Daniel answered the king: "O king, live forever! My God has
sent his angel and closed the lions' mouths so that they have not
hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither to you
have I done any harm, O king!" This gave the king great joy. At his
order Daniel was removed from the den, unhurt because he trusted in
his God. The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along
with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions' den.
Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them
and crushed all their bones. Then King Darius wrote to the nations
and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on the earth: "All
peace to you! I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of
Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: "For he is the living God,
enduring forever; his Kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his
dominion shall be without end. He is a deliverer and savior, working
signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and he delivered Daniel
from the lions' power."
LUKE 21:20-28
Jesus said to his disciples: "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by
armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then those in Judea must
flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and
let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days are
the time of punishment when all the Scriptures are fulfilled. Woe to
pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible
calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this
people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as
captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled
underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are
fulfilled. "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of
the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of
what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be
shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand
erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand."
REFLECTION
In the first reading, the King's decree against the prayer ritual of
the Jews was stirred up by those who were jealous of Daniel's power
and position. However, Daniel held fast to his faith to God and
continued with his praying and asked for God's help. Daniel was fed
to the wild lions, but instead of being killed by the lions, he
remain unhurt.
How often in our lives do we have "lions" waiting to devour us
because of our lack of faith and lack of religious conviction?
Our "lions" may appear in the form of wealth, ill feelings towards
others, hatred of enemies or feelings of hopelessness. When we face
such "lions" in our lives, how do we react? Do we become the brave
lion tamer with whip and chair, do we run and flee, or are we already
caught in the lion's jaws? It is up to us to keep and strengthen our
faith to trust in God so that we may seek his guidance and help
through such challenges.
The Gospel reminds us to look and wait for the coming of the Son of
Man with power and great glory. Our hope is attained where we can
stand up with our heads high, knowing that redemption is drawing
near. What better consolation than that of the promise God has given
us through His Son Jesus Christ.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
... for the strength, healing and speedy recovery of:
- Damaso Guevara, Eligia Fernando, Sr. Belen Latorre, DC
- Anna and Will
- Fr. Santos Mena, S.J.
... for the personal intentions of Pe Family
... Good health: Guevarra Family
... In Thanksgiving: Jennette
... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: BSA
- Birthday: Ma. Lena Pacheco del Rosario
- Birthday: Wilfredo B. Espiritu
... for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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