For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

1 posted on 11/27/2015 9:32:15 PM PST by Salvation

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2 posted on 11/27/2015 9:33:21 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From: Daniel 7:15-27

The Vision Interpreted

[15] “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious and the visions of my
head alarmed me. [16] I approached one of those who stood there and asked
him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made known to me the in-
terpretation of the things. [17] ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall
arise out of the earth. [18] But the saints of the Most High shall receive the king-
dom, and possess the kingdom for ever, for ever and ever.’

[19] “Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast which was dif-
ferent from all the rest, exceedingly terrible, with its teeth of iron and claws of
bronze; and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped the residue with
its feet, [20] and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other
horn which came up and before which three of them fell, the horn which had eyes
and a mouth that spoke great things, and which seemed greater than its fellows.
[21] As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them [22]
until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the
Most High and the time came when the saints received the kingdom.

[23] “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,
there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
[24] As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom
ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
[25] He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, two times, and half a time.
[26] But the court shall sit in judgment,
and his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
[27] And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High,
their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’”

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Commentary:

7:15-28. The interpretation focuses on the protagonists in the period when the
book of Daniel was written—those to whom the kingdom will be given, that is, faith-
ful Jews or “saints of the Most High” (vv. 18, 27); and the horn that grows from the
fourth beast, Antiochus IV, who blasphemes against God, persecutes those who
keep the Law and suppresses sabbaths and feasts (v. 25; cf. 1 Mac 1:41-52). But
the persecution will only go on for a certain time—three and a half “times”, that is,
half seven, which symbolizes completeness. The vision and its interpretation
alarm Daniel on account of the sufferings that his people are undergoing and will
undergo in the future; but he also says that “I kept the matter in my mind” (v. 28):
his faith and hope are not affected.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

3 posted on 11/27/2015 9:34:11 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From: Luke 21:34-36

The Need for Vigilance

(Jesus said to His disciples), [34] “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts
be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and
that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; [35] for it will come upon all who
dwell upon the face of the whole earth. [36] But watch at all times, praying that
you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to
stand before the Son of Man.”

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Commentary:

34-36. At the end of His discourse Jesus emphasizes that every Christian needs
to be vigilant: we do not know the day nor the hour in which He will ask us to ren-
der an account of our lives. Therefore, we must at all times be trying to do God’s
will, so that death, whenever it comes, will find us ready. For those who act in
this way, sudden death never takes them by surprise. As St. Paul recommends:
“You are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief” (1
Thessalonians 5:4). Vigilance consists in making a constant effort not to be at-
tached to the things of this world (the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupi-
scence of the eyes and pride of life: cf. John 2:16) and in being assiduous in
prayer, which keeps us close to God. If we live in this way, the day we die will
be a day of joy and not of terror, for with God’s help our vigilance will mean that
our souls are ready to receive the visit of our Lord; they are in the state of grace:
in meeting Christ we will not be meeting a judge who will find us guilty; instead
He will embrace us and lead us into the house of His Father to remain there for-
ever. “Does your soul not burn with the desire to make your Father-God happy
when He has to judge you?” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 746).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

4 posted on 11/27/2015 9:34:45 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Readings at Mass

First reading	Daniel 7:15-27 ©

I, Daniel, was deeply disturbed and the visions that passed through my head alarmed me. So I approached one of those who were standing by and asked him to tell me the truth about all this. And in reply he revealed to me what these things meant. “These four great beasts are four kings who will rise from the earth. Those who are granted sovereignty are the saints of the Most High, and the kingdom will be theirs for ever, for ever and ever.” Then I asked to know the truth about the fourth beast, different from all the rest, very terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze claws, eating, crushing and trampling underfoot what remained; and the truth about the ten horns on its head – and why the other horn sprouted and the three original horns fell, and why this horn had eyes and a mouth that was full of boasts, and why it made a greater show than the other horns. This was the horn I had watched making war on the saints and proving the stronger, until the coming of the one of great age who gave judgement in favour of the saints of the Most High, when the time came for the saints to take over the kingdom. This is what he said:

‘The fourth beast

is to be a fourth kingdom on earth,

different from all other kingdoms.

It will devour the whole earth,

trample it underfoot and crush it.

As for the ten horns: from this kingdom

will rise ten kings, and another after them;

this one will be different from the previous ones

and will bring down three kings;

he is going to speak words against the Most High,

and harass the saints of the Most High.

He will consider changing seasons and the Law,

and the saints will be put into his power

for a time, two times, and half a time.

But a court will be held and his power will be stripped from him,

consumed, and utterly destroyed.

And sovereignty and kingship,

and the splendours of all the kingdoms under heaven

will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.

His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty

and every empire will serve and obey him.’

Canticle	Daniel 3:82-87 ©

Sons of men! bless the Lord.