33rd Week in Ordinary Time
27th November 2023 (Monday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skilful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favour and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king." Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see." So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 (R. see 52b)
R/. You are to be praised and highly exalted forever!
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Stay awake, and be ready, the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel :Luke 21:1-4
At that time: Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: Give without measure!
Guidlines: Giving may be considered as loss and deprivation in the sight of the world. But in the sight of God, every act of giving is gaining God’s favour and abundant riches{alertSuccess}
1. Many do not want to give because they think it reduces what they have. They feel deprived of what they can enjoy for themselves. For them, every act of giving is a loss, reduction and deprivation. That is why many are driven by a spirit of grabbing and accumulating. This is truly a culture of greed and manipulation.
2. In contrast to such a culture, we have an imitable example of a poor widow in the gospel. In comparison to the other rich people, she gives very little to the temple treasury – just two copper coins. As number and quantity, it is very insignificant and ignorable. But it comes from an abundant heart, out of the abundance of love, trust, joy and generosity.
3. In the first reading from Daniel also, we have a similar story in the case of Daniel along with his three companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They demonstrate the same spirit of giving. It is not merely a matter of giving something. It is much more.
4. It is a self-giving to God. They give themselves to God in faith and surrender. They give their loyalty to God. Even in slavery under a pagan king, they did not give up their trust and obedience to God’s ordinances. We are told that they resolved not to defile themselves with the food or the drink of the king.
5. Apparently and practically, every giving will cause some inconvenience and loss. The poor widow loses her means of sustenance, her security for tomorrow. The four young men lose their chance to enjoy rich food, to become strong and fit. They had to content themselves with mere vegetables. They also stood the danger of penalty for defying the king’s order. But their selfless giving with faith in God pleases God and is rewarded.
6. The poor woman merits appreciation by Jesus himself. And the four youths are given surpassing wisdom, understanding, learning and skill. They win the king’s favour. They become beneficial and exemplary for others. They will become later the channels of testimony to Yahweh, the true God, before the pagans.
Practice: Those who are greedy and self-centered and refuse to give, do not realize what an immense grace of God they are losing. The more we give, the more we will be given{alertSuccess}