A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 23, n. 52)

Week 34 in Ordinary Time: November 23-29, 2025

(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: November 16-22, 2025, 2025 please go to ARCHIVES Series 23 and click on “Ordinary Week 32”.

Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: November 23-29, 2025.)

November 23, 2025: OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Leads Us into His Kingdom”

BIBLE READINGS

2 Sm 5:1-3 // Col 1:12-20 // Lk 23:35-43

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 23:35-43): “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

There is something beautiful in rectifying a wrong. Marilyn Manning tells of a communications course that she attended. The instructor asked the participants to list anything in their past of which they felt ashamed, guilty, incomplete, or that they regretted. After they had made the list, the instructor suggested that they find ways to make amends, to apologize to people, or take some action to right any wrongdoing. Marilyn narrates the story shared by another participant, Jimmy (cf. “It’s Never Too Late” in A 3^rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul, ed. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communication, Inc., 1996, p. 328-329).

While making my list, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town in Iowa. There was a sheriff in town that none of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies and I decided to play a trick on Sheriff Brown. After drinking a few beers, we found a can of red paint, climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank, in bright red letters: Sheriff Brown is an s.o.b. The next day, the town arose to see our glorious sign. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had the three of us in his office. My friends confessed and I lied, denying the truth. No one ever found out. Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name appears on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still alive. Last weekend, I dialed Information in my hometown back in Iowa. Sure enough, there was a Roger Brown still listed. I dialed his number. After a few rings, I heard: “Hello?” I said: “Sheriff Brown?” Pause. “Yup.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins. And I want you to know that I did it.” Pause. “I knew it!” He yelled back. We had a good laugh and a lively discussion. His closing words were: “Jimmy, I always felt badly for you because your buddies got it off their chests, and I knew you were carrying it around all these years. I want to thank you for calling me … for your sake.”

The repentant Jimmy is like the “good” thief who feels it is not futile, nor too late to avail of the compassionate heart and forgiveness of the crucified King. Hanging on the cross beside Jesus, the “good thief” longs for the eternal kingdom and pleads to have a share in it.

Today’s solemn feast of Christ the King helps us to focus on the all-inclusive, eternal kingdom that the compassionate Christ brings to us by his paschal mystery. In a papal document promulgated on December 11, 1925, Pope Pius XI promulgated the feast of Christ the King in order to take the kingship of Jesus from the privacy of our hearts and to proudly proclaim his public sway as well.

The true meaning of Christ’s kingship needs to be seen against the biblical figure of the Shepherd-King. In the biblical ideal, the king is the anointed one who shepherds and gathers God’s people. The kingship of Jesus Christ is primarily a spiritual-eschatological reality. The Shepherd-King carries out his kingdom ministry upon the cross of affliction and glory. The divine kingdom will be gloriously revealed at the end-time, the parousia. This Sunday’s Gospel reading shows how the crucified Christ exercises his power as Shepherd-King by forgiving a repentant criminal. He thus brings salvation history closer to its goal: redemption and restoration in the name of Jesus.

At the end of the liturgical year, it is most fitting that we address this prayer of the repentant thief to the Redeemer King: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. And let us listen trustingly to Christ’s assurance of salvation: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. As we conclude a grace-filled Church year, a holy season of breaking the bread of the Word and of translating it into a life of service and love, we discover more and more that the Kingdom of Christ is approaching in its fullness: the Kingdom of truth and life, the Kingdom of holiness and grace, the Kingdom of justice, love and peace.

B. First Reading (2 Sm 5:1-3): “They anointed David king of Israel.”

When I was a young girl, I saw the movie version of the Broadway musical, “The King and I” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. I really enjoyed the film, especially its excellent music. The King of Siam, portrayed by Yul Bryner, was fascinating. I chuckled at the scene when the King was dictating a letter to the English governess. In that letter addressed to the President of the United States of America, he was offering a gift of several pairs of elephants. The King suggested that the elephants be released in the forests where they would rapidly multiply and soon be of great service as beasts of burden to the American people. On October 5, 2004, I went to the Canadian consulate in Los Angeles, California to apply for a visitor’s visa since I was scheduled in November to conduct a liturgy workshop for our PDDM Sisters in Toronto. I arrived early at the Canadian consulate on Flower Street to file my application, but my papers needed about four hours to be processed. To while away the time, I headed off to the nearby Los Angeles Public Library where there was a special exhibit on “American Archives”. The historical documents on display were exceedingly interesting. I experienced one of the most marvelous and educational moments of my life. I was awed by the letter of Queen Leilani of Hawaii addressed to the American Congress requesting respect and integrity for her nation, which were not heeded. I read with great interest the speech to be read by the American President “just in case” the first American astronauts who landed on the moon would not be able to take off and be marooned there forever. Above all, I was spell bound when I came across a grainy, black and white photograph of the King of Siam (a real historical character!), pictured with a boy prince, one of his many, many sons. Moreover, I was overwhelmed with delight when I saw the letter that the King of Siam dictated to his governess Anna, graciously offering the gift of elephants to the American president. Equally fascinating was the cordial letter written by President Abraham Lincoln gently refusing the elephants, which would not survive the harsh climate of the American forests. President Lincoln, however, accepted with gratitude the other gifts: an ornamented dagger and the nice photograph of the King of Siam with his little prince. As I surveyed those historical documents in display at the Los Angeles Public Library, I experienced greater fascination for the King of Siam. He had a seemingly “hard front”, but was essentially a benevolent sovereign and wise ruler of his people.

On this last Sunday of the liturgical year, we are invited as Church to contemplate the benevolent King par excellence – Jesus Christ, the Lord of all creation and the Good Shepherd who came to save and unify all nations. The figure of David in the Old Testament as Shepherd-King helps us to delve into the meaning and uniqueness of the “anointed of Yahweh” - Christ the King.

As a young shepherd, David was anointed by Samuel, the prophet of Yahweh, and was destined to rule as king in some future time (cf. 1 Sm 16). After the death of King Saul and his sons, the members of his tribe of Judah anointed him – a great military leader - to be their king (cf. 2 Sm 2). In this Sunday’s Old Testament reading (2 Sm 5:1-3), his regal power became more extensive for all the tribes of Israel had chosen him to be their sovereign. The elders prevailed upon him, saying: “Here we are, your bone and flesh. In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the Lord said to you, You shall shepherd my people and shall be the commander of Israel.” David and the elders of the various tribes made a covenant before God at Hebron. They anointed him King of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was a great moment in the life of King David and the entire nation. The great military hero was being consecrated to be the caring shepherd of God’s chosen people. A thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ, David tried to embody in his person the great ideal of kingship longed for by the Israelite nation.

C. Second Reading (Col 1:12-20): “He transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”

The magnificent “Christ Hymn” we hear in the Second Reading (Col 1:12-20) gives us the rationale of Christ’s kingship. It also presents the cosmic proportion and total extent of his reign. Probably used as a baptismal hymn, this lyrical jewel declares the tremendous works of Christ in creation and salvation. He is the principle of creation and through him, everything continues in being. Through him we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. The exultant hymn also underlines both his preeminence in the Church and his lordship over all creation. Unparalleled in beauty and content, this hymn fittingly crowns the liturgical year with a tone of thanksgiving. It invites us to give thanks to the Father for having made us worthy to share the lot of the saints in light. Indeed, God is worthy of praise and thanksgiving for he rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son Jesus Christ.

The liturgy of Christ the King challenges us to live our life under the sway of this all-powerful but compassionate shepherd-king. His kingship is ultimately exercised in the mind, heart and will of the believer. As head of the Church and as ruler of the entire universe, he wields total dominion over us – reigning over us with a love and concern beyond telling. Jesus Christ is truly our Lord and Master. As part of the kingly people, we have a duty to hasten the advent of his kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace.

The following story illustrates what it means to promote the heavenly kingdom on this earth (cf. “Lottery Winners Give Away Money” in San Jose Mercury News, November 5, 2010, p. A9). The charitable stance of a Canadian retired couple enables us to feel that the kingdom of Christ is at hand. They are truly the object of the Christian beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

LOWER TRURO, Nova Scotia: A Canadian couple who won $10.9 million in the lottery just gave it away. Allen and Violet Large said Thursday that they won their fortune in a July 14 Lotto 649 draw and decided to donate 98 percent of it, some $10.6 million, saving the rest for a rainy day.

“We were quite happy with what we had and the way we were going”, said Allen Large, a 75-year old retired welder. “We have no plans. We’re not travelers. We’re not night prowlers. We’re not bar-hoppers.”

After taking care of their family, the Larges donated the bulk of the prize to churches, fire departments, cemeteries and the Red Cross in Lower Truro, as well as hospitals where Violet, who has cancer, has undergone treatment.

Allen Large said he and his wife decided a week before they picked up their winnings to give most of it away. He said they had worked for 30 years in Ontario and put away money every year before retiring and returning home to Nova Scotia. “We weren’t millionaires before, but we had enough to keep us going in our retirement years”, said Allen Large.

Word of the couple’s generosity has generated a wealth of attention from the media both in Canada and abroad. “We’re not used to all this attention”, Large said from the couple’s modest home. “We’re just plain, old country folks.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

Are there moments in our life when we challenge the kingship of Christ and his compassionate rule over us? Have we ever negated and renounced the kingship of Christ on the cross? What are the instances in our life when we turn to the Shepherd-King and humbly appeal to him: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”? How do the words spoken by Jesus on the cross to the repentant thief impact our life of faith: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

(From the prayers of St. Bernard of Clairvaux)

Blessed are they in whom Jesus will reign forever,

for they shall reign with him,

and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Oh, how glorious is that kingdom where kings are gathered together

to give united praise and honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords,

in the contemplation of whose splendor

the just shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Oh, that he may deign to come and save me

on the day when he delivers up his kingdom to his God and Father,

so that I may see the joy of his chosen ones

and rejoice in the gladness of his people.

Then I, too, shall be able to praise him

together with his inheritance.

And now, Lord Jesus,

come and remove the stumbling blocks

within the kingdom, which is my soul,

so that you who ought to may reign in it.

Jesus is my Lord.

I keep myself for him since I acknowledge his rights over me.

To me he is God, to me he is the Lord,

and I declare: I will have no king but the Lord Jesus!

Come then, Lord, reign in me,

for you are my king and my God.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Lk 23:42).

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Meditate on the personal meaning and challenge of Christ’s kingship for you. In your life of service to others, especially the poor and underprivileged, seek to promote Christ’s kingdom of justice, love and peace.

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November 24, 2025: MONDAY – SAINT ANDREW DUNG-LAC, Priest, AND COMPANIONS

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Father’s Totus Tuus … He Guides Us by His Wisdom”

BIBLE READINGS

Dn 1:1-6, 8-20 // Lk 21:1-4

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:1-4): “He noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.”

We are almost at the end of the liturgical year. Through the sacred liturgy, the Church helps us to be thankful for the divine compassion and the providence bestowed on us every moment of our life. Likewise, the bible readings in these days, especially today’s Gospel about the widow who gives all (Lk 21:1-4), invite us to respond to God with a generous and total love. As we are completing the Church’s year of grace 2014, it is fitting to meditate upon the totus tuus quality of God’s relationship with us, as well as the totus tuus character of the response he demands from us.

The biblical scholar Eugene Maly comments: “Totus tuus … “totally yours” … Such total self-giving is characteristic of biblical religion. It is not to be understood as a purely human initiative. Rather, it is the expected response to the redemptive love of God. It is he who loves first. Then empowered by that love, we can love God and neighbor in turn…God’s initial love is always a presupposition. Our lives are, or should be, one large thank you to a loving God. And the thank you must be expressed wholeheartedly. The Gospel reading exhibits this theme. The widow who gave her two small copper coins gave all that she had to live on. This was her version of totus tuus to God. Because it was that, it was worth much more than the huge donations of the wealthy … The emphasis is on the completeness of the human gift … Jesus is the Father’s totus tuus to us. When we respond, it must also be in the once and for all spirit of totus tuus. In Christianity, God has given his all once and for all. We are asked to respond in the same way … That is why we say right here and now to God: Totus tuus, Lord”.

Here is a daily life example of a totus tuus gift to God (cf. Rick Hamline in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 60).

In the middle of a busy morning at the office, I’d just finished a long e-mail to a colleague when the phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number but answered. A faint voice said, “I’m Bernadette.”

“I’m Rick Hamlin”, I replied, trying to remember if there was a Bernadette in any story I was working on. “May I help you?”

“I need someone to pray for me”, she said. My friend Mary is very sick from cancer. They’ve just put her on hospice care. I don’t know what to do …” Her voice broke.

They knew each other from childhood. They talked on the phone every day. The cancer had come very quickly. Bernadette was in shock. Each time she visited her friend she was afraid of dissolving in tears. “If I could just pray with someone”, she said.

I found myself asking, “Want me to pray with you right now?”

“Yes, please”, she said.

I closed my eyes and lowered my voice, hoping none of my colleagues would interrupt. I’m not sure what I said, but I trusted that the right words would come. “Be with Mary and Bernadette”, I ended. “Amen.”

“Amen”, Bernadette said. “Thank you, sir. That was nice of you.”

She hung up, and I returned to work. Maybe Bernadette was supposed to get my number. Perhaps praying for her was the most important thing I would do all day.

Dear Lord, let me know how to say yes when You call.

B. First Reading (Dn 1:1-6, 8-20): “None were found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.”

This is the last week of the liturgical year. The Old Testament readings are taken from the Book of Daniel, written when the Jews were suffering great persecution to encourage them to keep faith in the Lord. Today’s episode about Daniel and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Dn 1:1-6, 8-20) underlines that loyalty is rewarded. Together with other selected young men from the Israelite exiles, they are being trained to serve in the royal court. The king allots them a daily ration of food and wine from the royal table. Daniel and his companions make up their mind not to be ritually unclean by eating the food and drinking the wine of the royal court. They resolve not to compromise their identity as God’s people and refuse to violate the traditional dietary laws, a distinctive mark of Jewish identity.

With the help of a sympathetic guard, the Jewish young men nourished themselves only with vegetables and drink only water. At the end of the ten-day trial, Daniel and his friends look healthier and stronger than all those who have been eating the food of the royal court. So from then on the kindly guard let them continue to eat vegetables instead of what the king provides. God rewards their loyalty with success. When King Nebuchadnezzar talks with the candidates, none are found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in wisdom and prudence. Thus they are assumed into the king’s service.

The prayers and reflections of the writer, Flannery O’Connor, gives insight into the spiritual wisdom and sterling qualities of the Jewish young heroes Daniel and his companions (cf. Lorraine Murray, “Love Letters to God” in Our Sunday Visitor, November 10, 2013, p. 6).

“I want to be the best artist it is possible for me to be”, writes the young Flannery O’Connor in a lovely treasure of a book called simply “A Prayer Journal” … Born in Savannah in 1925; O’Connor lived most of her life at Andalusia Farm near Milledgeville, Ga. There she completed two novels, two collections of stories and numerous essays – and was honored with the National Book Award posthumously.

The intensely personal prayer journal is best described as a collection of love letters to God. Not love in the sickeningly sweet, overly flowery sense that O’Connor would have deplored, but a longing to get closer to someone and to know them better … She opens on a plaintive note: “Dear God, I cannot love Thee the way I want to.” The obstacles to loving God, as she sees them, are her aspirations to be a writer and her hope for success. As she succinctly notes, “I am in the way.” … The entries are laced with distinctly Catholic references, especially in her devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and her belief that Catholicism offers an encounter with God “as nearly as we can get to Him on earth.” (…)

Grace is a recurring topic, which is not surprising given that it played a central role in her fiction. After all, this was the woman who would later declare that her stories at heart were about “the action of grace in territory held largely by the devil”. Here she prays, “Give me the grace, dear God, to adore you”, and also acknowledges that grace often comes after suffering. As for her own suffering, the young O’Connor suggests “there’s a terrific balance due”. The sad irony, of course, is that she would get more than her share a few years later when she began showing symptoms of lupus, which eventually took her life at age 39. In an eerily prescient moment, she asks God to “give me the courage to stand the pain to get the grace”.

Given the honesty and the passionate yearning expressed here – and the stirring, deeply Catholic stories that would later proceed from this author’s pen – it seems these longings were fulfilled.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Why is the donation of the poor widow in the Jerusalem temple most valuable and significant? How does her offering evoke Christ’s total gift of himself? In what does Christ’s totus tuus to the Father consist? Why is Christ himself the Father’s totus tuus gift to us? Do we strive to make of our life a totus tuus gift to God?

2. What lesson do we glean from the life of Daniel and his companions? How do their integrity before God and courageous stance before all adversities inspire us?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving Father,

we thank you for creating us in your image,

for redeeming us in your Son,

and for sanctifying us through the power of your life-giving Spirit.

Jesus Christ is your totus tuus gift to us.

On the cross of sacrifice,

he was the Priest and Victim par excellence.

By his passion and death on the cross,

you revealed your unmitigated love and compassionate care for us.

Dear Lord God,

we love you.

Like the widow who offered her last two coins at the Jerusalem temple,

let us learn to give all and everything – our totus tuus –

and be sustained by faith in your providence.

Bless us, loving God.

Amen.

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Almighty God,

glorious and praiseworthy are you!

You gave spiritual wisdom and inner strength

to Daniel and his companions

to live with integrity and in purity of heart.

By their faithfulness to the holy covenant and its sacred decrees,

you rewarded them with abundant blessings and success.

Grant us the courage of their faith

and help us to follow you with undivided heart,

now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“This poor widow put in more than all the rest” (Lk 21:3) //“He was resolved not to defile himself.” (Dn 3:8)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that our response to God’s compassionate love may be total, generous and wholehearted. By your personal dedication and service to the poor and needy, avow to God the totus tuus character of your love for him and your neighbors. // Be aware of examples of courage that surround us and let the “good news” mitigate the brutality that today’s mass media propagates in today’s world.

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November 25, 2025: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (34); SAINT CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA, Virgin

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Prepares Us for the Last Things … His Kingdom Will Never End”

BIBLE READINGS

Dn 2:31-45 // Lk 21:5-11

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:5-11): “There will not be left a stone upon another stone.”

The setting of today’s Gospel (Lk 21:5-11) is the Jerusalem Temple, where Jesus is teaching the people and proclaiming the Good News. A beautiful refurbishing of the Temple began about forty-six years before Jesus’ birth by Herod the Great. The Temple, though not yet complete, is already one of the wonders of the ancient world. Some of the granite stones in the Temple walls, as big as modern freight cars, are so expertly linked together without mortar that it is hard to see the joints. The magnificence of the Temple with its brilliant white marble and gold ornamentation awes the people. Today’s Gospel passage describes how some people are commenting on the Temple adorned with costly stones and votive offerings. In the midst of this enthused admiration, Jesus grimly utters a prophecy on the destruction of the Temple: “All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (Lk 21:6).

At his last appearance in the Temple, Jesus makes a final statement on its destruction. Indeed, there is an intimate connection between the destruction of Jerusalem and the events at the end of the world. The crisis that Jerusalem faces in Jesus’ ministry is a harbinger of the crisis that Jesus and his message, and above all, his coming as the Son of Man, will bring to all. Jesus does not give a definite date for the destruction of the Temple; neither does he give a specific time for the parousia, or his second coming. At the brink of his paschal sacrifice, Jesus asserts the faith reality that God will triumph over all the forces of evil. By predicting the destruction of the Temple and by giving warning signs of cosmic destruction, Jesus prepares his disciples spiritually for what is ahead - for the “last things”.

Harold Buetow remarks: “So what do we do now about our thoughts on the last things? For one thing, within ourselves we ought to develop a deeper spirit of responsibility so that we seek to become dependable rather than dependent, givers rather than takers, generous rather than addicted to self- interest … Outside ourselves, we are to be busy with the calamities around us; not just deplore the world’s trouble spots, but to help their victims.”

The following story is very heartening and encouraging (cf. Tom Price, “The Other Haiti” in America, October 18, 2010, p. 23-25). It is a modern day example of a responsible and creative stance in a cataclysmic situation. It inspires hope and teaches us how to promote the advent of the kingdom of God in the here and now … with toil and labor!

Try to imagine Haiti, ravaged by a massive earthquake last January, and images of rubble, masonry at crazy angles and huge homeless camps come to mind. Port-au-Prince, the capital, is still dotted with the camps that people spontaneously formed after the quake and white Land Cruisers of the United Nations and other relief agencies. While cleanup is underway, collapsed buildings and debris overwhelm the landscape. In Leogane, west of the capital and close to the center of the quake, barely a building is left standing. To see how the nation is changing and to glimpse its future, you have to take a road out of Port-au-Prince.

I recently traveled to Haiti for Catholic Relief Services to document the plight of rural Haitians. There I observed a number of projects fully or partially funded by C.R.S. that provide short-term jobs, grant micro-loans to small businesses, subsidize daily meals for Catholic schoolchildren and help local communities plant trees and grow food. A small agricultural school teaches men and women farming techniques to enrich the soil, increase crop yields and channel runoff. I also saw how the Haitian countryside has been affected by the quake.

In the southern and western departments (or provinces) island life is beginning to look more normal. The people here are poor, but the buildings are intact. Yet the quake has brought enormous pressures: Some 110,000 internally displaced people live in the Sud Department – more than the 80,000 of whom live in the two largest camps in Port-au-Prince to which the prominent visitors and film crews come. Many of the displaced people now in Sud lost their homes in the capital during the quake and have returned to their rural roots in these provincial towns to stay with family. The two neighboring departments of Grand Anse and Nippes also “host” displaced Haitians from the capital, almost 200,000 of them. With their arrival, household sizes in Sud have swelled by an average of five people. In rural areas like the small coastal town of Carrefour, I met many families who had left Port-au-Prince.

Meprilant Desire is philosophical when he talks about making ends meet with extra mouths to feed. “God gave them to us, so we make do. Some days we get enough, some days we don’t,” he smiles. Desire now supports nine children, four of his own and five who fled the quake. Recently widowed, he is caring for them alone. Straight across the dirt road that runs through the town, his neighbor Frisca Saint Juste, 23, has a similar story. He is sheltering his cousin and his cousin’s three children, plus his mother and father.

Both Desire and Saint Juste have planted seeds they received as part of a church distribution at a seed fair. They are both tending strips of peas and corn. The peas provide vital nitrogen to the soil for the next crop. Saint Juste depends on the crops he grows behind his small house. His cousin helps out, but it is backbreaking work, especially with no nearby water source to irrigate the crops. Saint Juste explains to me how bringing water close to the field, with a community water pump, for instance, would greatly help him and his neighbors. Desire is a man with a heavy weight on his shoulders. He is nevertheless optimistic about the future. He attributes his optimism to the new agricultural venture. “I got seeds at a seed fair, and I know enough not to eat them but to plant them”, he laughs. “I am stronger now, I have more energy, and I have the energy to plant more.” He has ambitions to plant peanuts next.

B. First Reading (Dn 2:31-45): “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed and shall put an end to all these kingdoms.”

There is something fascinating and awesome in dreams. Early in the morning – at around 3:00 A.M. on November 14, 2008 (Friday) – I dreamed that my 90-year old mom collapsed in my arms and that I screamed to my elder brother for help. I woke up startled. What was the meaning of the dream? After the Morning Prayer and the Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, I asked the Sisters in my community what could have been the meaning of my dream. But no one could interpret my dream. We hardly finished breakfast when I received a phone call from my younger brother in Sacramento informing me that my mom in Cebu, Philippines was seriously ill. She was in the ICU and wanted to see me. I was booked to fly to the Philippines the week after, but I was able to anticipate my flight that very Friday evening. I arrived in Cebu Sunday morning and hurried to see my comatose mom at the ICU. She passed away that very evening. Later my brother informed me that they brought my mom to the hospital on the past Friday at 7:00 P.M., which was the time I was dreaming in Los Angeles. Indeed, there was a message in my dream.

King Nebuchadnezzar, in today’s Old Testament reading (Dn 2:31-45), has a dream that worries him. He decrees that an interpreter from his kingdom should tell the details of the dream and explain its meaning. He does not trust any interpreter who cannot tell him the dream. The wise men in his kingdom argue that no human being, only a god, can tell a dream. The king is so angered that he decrees the death of all the royal advisers in Babylon, which includes Daniel and his companions. The four young men pray for deliverance. Their prayer is answered in a nocturnal vision in which God reveals to Daniel the mystery of the king’s dream. Daniel tells King Nebuchadnezzar his dream and gives the interpretation. In the dream, the king sees a huge human-like statue made of various materials that crumbled when it is struck at the feet by a mysterious stone. The symbolism of the destruction is explained as the demise of successive empires, beginning with Babylon. The smashing by the stone not cut by human hands is a sign of the end of the present age and the coming of an indestructible kingdom that the God of heaven is to establish. The heavenly kingdom will never end. In the eyes of faith, the kingdom that is symbolically presented in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dreams continue to fascinate us. Today, as we celebrate, the death anniversary of our Founder Blessed James Alberione (April 4, 1884 – November 26, 1971) it is fitting to recall a decisive dream he dreamt (cf. James Alberione, Abundates Divitiae, n. 151-158).

In moments of particular difficulty, re-examining his whole conduct to see if there were impediments to the action of grace on his part, it seemed to him that the Divine Master wanted to reassure the Institute, started only a few years previously.

In a dream which he had afterwards, he felt he was given an answer. In fact, Jesus Master said: “Do not be afraid. I am with you. From here I will cast light. Be sorry for sins.”

The “from here” came from the tabernacle; and with strength as to make him understand that from Him – the Teacher – comes all the light that has to be received.

He spoke of it to the Spiritual Director, explaining the light in which the figure of the Divine Master had appeared. He replied: “Be serene. Dream or otherwise, what was said was holy. Make it a practical program of life and of light for yourself and for all the members.”

From this he always oriented himself, and he drew all from the Tabernacle.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What message do the tumultuous events in the world, natural and man-made calamities and the threats of ecological destruction, bring to us? What is our attitude towards the “last things”?

2. Do we believe that God gives us spiritual vision to see the presence and the power of his saving plan? Do we look forward to the glorious coming of the heavenly kingdom in Jesus Christ?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving Father,

your Son Jesus predicted the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple,

the jewel of the city

and the unique center of worship

for the people of the first covenant.

In his prophecy and revelation,

Jesus assures us

that your victorious saving hand is at work.

Although we do not know the hour

and the circumstances of the end time,

nor the specific moment

of the ultimate coming of Jesus in his glory,

we resolve to work perseveringly

in the final realization of his Kingdom.

We give you glory and praise, now and forever.

Amen.

***

O loving God,

you are all-knowing.

Give us the grace to dream of the messianic end-time

where your kingdom of justice and peace fully reigns.

Like Blessed James Alberione,

the founder of the Pauline Family,

let us be attentive to the vision that comes from the Tabernacle

and the saving inspiration that flows forth from Jesus,

the Divine Master, the Way, Truth and Life.

Through him, we give you glory and praise,

now and forever

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone.” (Lk 21:6) //“The God of heaven will build up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people.” (Dn 2:44)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the Jewish people and today’s city of Jerusalem in the Holy Land. In the Eucharistic celebration, proclaim the memorial acclamation with devotion and conviction. Allow the assurance of Christ’s coming to brighten your life and encourage you to labor mightily for the Kingdom of God. // By your acts of charity to the disheartened and those in distress, let them feel that there is hope for tomorrow and enable them to dream inspiring “dreams”.

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November 26, 2025: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (34)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Wants Us To Persevere … In Him Is God’s Vindication”

BIBLE READINGS

Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 // Lk 21:12-19

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:12-19): “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.”

The article, “A Tree Grows in Kenya” in Guideposts magazine (January 2004) deals with the inspiring effort of Wangari Maathai to fight off ecological destruction in her native land, Kenya. The author, Christopher Davis, narrates the gargantuan feat of this enterprising woman, whose perseverance epitomizes today’s Gospel exhortation: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives”.

In 1960 Wangari won a Kennedy scholarship to study in America. She earned a master’s in biology from University of Pittsburgh, then became the first woman from Kenya ever to earn a Ph.D. Wangari returned to her county in 1966 and was shocked by what she found. The forests had been cut down for lumber. Heavy rains washed most of the good soil away, since there was no longer vegetation to protect it. Rivers were silt-choked, the soil leached of nutrients. Nothing grew and nothing bloomed anymore … Worst was what had happened to Kenya’s most precious resource – people. Men abandoned farms for jobs in overcrowded cities, leaving wives and children behind. Trees in the countryside were so scarce that women walked miles to gather a few sticks for a fire – the center of village life.

“There were so many problems,” Wangari says. “I did not know where to start, except to pray.” Then she remembered what the missionaries said: Every forest begins with a single seed. She planted a tree. Then another. Then hundreds. In 1977 she founded a group called the Green Belt Movement, which promotes tree planting in rural areas and trains farmers in eco-friendly farming methods. Since the group started, it has planted some 20 million trees in Kenya and has changed the way Kenyans look at their environment.

On October 8, 2004, Wangari Maathai was announced the winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. The patient perseverance of the tree planter, Wangari, who did not allow herself to be overwhelmed by a disastrous situation, but exhibited creative and life-giving attitudes under duress, anticipates the victorious quality of God’s coming at the end time. Indeed, by living out the spirit of stewardship and care of God’s creation, she presents to the world of today the patient endurance that leads to life.

The biblical scholar Carroll Stuhlmueller remarks: “Christians must adjust to a long period of waiting and persecution. In doing so, they are following the sorrowful way of the cross, taken by Jesus to arrive at glory.” Indeed, the basic tone that permeates the Gospel passage concerning the Temple destruction and the end time is the absolute assurance of the Lord’s control of history and his ultimate victory. Despite all the evil that can be imagined, the hand of God that guides our personal and cosmic destiny will emerge victorious.

Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 21:12-19) concludes beautifully with Jesus’ reassuring words: “Not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your life.” The promise that no harm will come to even one hair of a Christian disciple is simply a graphic statement depicting the ultimate spiritual protection of those who endure persecution for the sake of Jesus. After giving this heartwarming assurance, Christ then exhorted his disciples to manifest the sterling quality of perseverance – the courageous attitude that will help us participate in the ultimate victory of God.

B. First Reading (Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28): “The fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall.”

In today’s Old Testament reading (Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28), we hear of God’s vindication and of the swiftly punished sacrilege committed by King Belshazzar, the son of King Nebuchadnezzar. At a royal banquet, under the influence of wine, King Belshazzar orders that the gold and silver cups and bowls, which his father Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from the temple of Jerusalem, be brought in so that he, his guests, his wives and concubines can use them to toast the Babylonian gods. His desecration is dramatically halted when a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the palace that is illumined by bright lamps. The Jewish exile Daniel, who is extraordinarily brilliant and wise and who can interpret dreams, is brought to him. Daniel accuses Belshazzar for not honoring God and for acting against him. The prophet Daniel interprets the mysterious writing on the wall as a declaration of the end of the Babylonian Empire. That very night King Belshazzar is killed and Darius the Mede seizes the royal power.

The “writing on the wall” is ominous for the evil-doer. In today’s society, the witnessing of those who live their faith is like the “writing on the wall” that foretells God’s victory over evil. The following article gives an insight into what it means to uphold the sovereignty of God and to be pro-active supporters of belief in God (cf. Jonathan Luxmoore, “Secularization Taxes France’s Church-State Relationship” in Our Sunday Visitor, November 10, 2013, p. 5).

When Francois Hollande was elected France’s Socialist president in May 2012, his platform included policies to boost the flagging economy, but also featured liberalizing measures – from same-sex marriage to embryo research. Above all, Hollande promised steps to re-affirm the country’s guiding principle of laicite, excluding religion from the public sphere, which many Socialists believed had been eroded under his center-right predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy. (…)

Some observers wonder how effectively the Church can resist the Socialist onslaught. Priestly vocations have fallen sharply in France, leaving many of the Church’s 36,000 parishes without resident priests and fueling fears that a fifth of its 15,000 listed churches could face closure by local councils.

Yet Renard, the Catholic family association president, remains upbeat. “Our bishop’s capacity to talk and act is restricted by official considerations – but Catholic organizations like ours have no limitations”, Renard told the OSV … Catholic campaigners have scored some successes. France’s appeals court has rejected attempts to bar religion from state kindergartens, while a judgment requiring parishes to erase the names of apostasizing Catholics from their baptismal registers was overturned in September. And France’s main police union has regretted the violent suppression of last spring’s demonstration against same-sex marriage.

Addressing French parliamentarians in early October at Saint Clothilde Basilica in Paris, Cardinal Vingt-Trois urges against fatalist views that Christians should “abandon responsibility for care of the world to those who ignore God.” Catholics like Renard fully concur. In a recent effort, La Croix said France was seeing a “multiplication of initiatives” against Socialist government plans, with one organization, “Actors for the Future”, formed by a priest from Versailles diocese, and another, “Founding Tomorrow”, set up by young professionals to promote “long term Christian engagement in politics”. They say they’ve received pledges of solidarity not just from France, but from around Europe too, and will step up their campaign before municipal and European Parliament elections in early 2014.

“Secular principles must be respected, but not if this means you’re not even allowed to talk about religion”, Renard said. “We’re accustomed to Catholics being treated as the enemy here. But it’s tragic and shocking that many people can no longer even imagine we believe in God, and just assume the Church is some old-fashioned organization that hasn’t understood how the world works. We now need to prove them wrong by appealing to consciences and mobilizing effort.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we endeavor to persevere in the love and service of our Lord Jesus? Do we trust that though we will be hated by all because of his name, “not a hair on our head will be destroyed”? Do we dedicate ourselves, in toil and labor, to promote the advent of the kingdom of God? How do we respond to Jesus’ comforting words and vigorous challenge: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives”?

2. What relevance does the “writing on the wall” have for you? Do you resolve to be pro-active in your faith and contribute to the triumph of God’s justice in the world?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving God, victorious over all,

we reverence your name.

Teach us to love and serve you faithfully

and to trust in your protection.

Help us to act responsibly and compassionately.

Let us be creatively involved

in helping our brothers and sisters

overcome the pain and distress of today’s fragmented world.

Help us promote your kingdom of justice, peace and love.

We eagerly await

the glorious advent of your Son Jesus Christ

at the end time.

We give you thanks and praise.

We adore and glorify you, now and forever.

Amen.

***

O loving God,

your “writing on the wall” indicates your vindication

and the triumph of your power over evil.

Give us the grace to be significant members of the faith community

and the courage “to write on the wall”

the victory of our Christian faith.

We give you glory and praise, now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” (Lk 21:19) //“You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.” (Dn 5:23)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that the Christian disciples may continue to promote God’s kingdom in toil and labor. Assist the victims of natural and man-made calamities to cope with the pain and hardship of their situations. // Resolve to be pro-active in your Christian witnessing and allow your faith to permeate today’s culture and society.

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November 27, 2025: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (34)

THANKSGIVING DAY (USA)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Assures Us that Our Redemption Is Near … He Rescues Us from the Lion’s Den”

BIBLE READINGS

Dn 6:12-28 // Lk 21:20-28

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:20-28): “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

July 16, 1990: A terrible earthquake jolted the island of Luzon in the Philippines and wrought havoc and misery. People were entombed alive in the collapsed buildings. One young man was buried for two weeks in the basement of a ruined hotel in Baguio City. On the 13^th day he lost hope of being rescued and decided to hasten his death. He started to bang his head viciously against a concrete slab, but a pair of invisible hands gently restrained him from killing himself. A serene feeling took hold of him and there was the assurance that redemption was at hand. He relaxed his battered body on the cold slab. On the 14^th day the rescuers found him and were able to break through. He was liberated from his tomb of death. As he weakly mouthed his words of thanks (“Salamat! Salamat!”) to the rescuers, his family and friends wept for joy. The young man’s advent yearning for redemption was fulfilled.

Today’s Gospel (Lk 21:20-28) presents us with apocalyptic images: “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 waves …”. These images are not meant to frighten us, but rather, they are an invitation for us to open ourselves to the saving intervention of Christ and the grace of his kingdom. We have nothing to dread, for in his final coming Christ will avow his victory and lordship as redeeming Master. We should look forward with expectation to his message of hope: “Your redemption is near!” In our preparation for the different “advents” of Christ in our life and history, let us strive to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father.

B. First Reading (Dn 6:12-28): “My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths.”

Today’s Old Testament reading (Dn 6:12-28) continues to testify that God vindicates his faithful people. On account of an intrigue and machinations caused by some jealous officials, Daniel ends up in the lion’s den. His enemies have convinced King Darius to outlaw prayer, but Daniel continues to pray three times a day, as the Jewish piety requires. The faithful Daniel is ready to suffer martyrdom rather than give up the practice of religion. God comes to his rescue and saves him from the jaws of the roaring lions. The benevolent King Darius acknowledges the power of Daniel’s God: “He is a living God and he will rule forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his power will never come to an end. He saves and rescues; he performs wonders and miracles in heaven and on earth. He saved Daniel from being killed by the lions.” Daniel’s dramatic and miraculous rescue from the lions is a figure of resurrection.

The following story of rescue gives an insight into the mysterious ways of God and his power to save (cf. Diana Circelli, “Mysterious Ways” in Guideposts, November 2013, p. 37).

Our roadtrip started with just the two of us – my husband Phil, and me, driving from Ohio to Mexico and back again. But we’d picked up some rather colorful hitchhikers along the way, at my mother’s house in Oklahoma. Mom was moving, and the movers she’d hired refused to transfer her houseplants because their truck wasn’t climate-controlled. “I can fit the small ones in my car”, Mom told us. “Can you take the large potted plants home until you can get them to me?”

Now three blooming hoyas, two Christmas cactuses and one enormous aloe vera blocked the back window of our sedan. They did fine in the heat of Texas and Mexico, but then we turned north toward home and headed into cold weather. Frost could damage, even kill them. At midnight one evening, we pulled up to a motel in Blythebille, Arkansas, the temperature dipping into the teens. We’d have to haul the heavy plants inside with us.

“We’ll need a room for two, please”, I told the woman at the front desk, not mentioning our extra guests. She peered at her computer screen. “We have a couple of rooms left on the second floor over the restaurant”, she said, “and one on ground level, way back across the parking lot.” “Is there an elevator?” I asked. She shook her head. “Ground level”, I said. No way Phil and I were lugging those plants up a flight of stairs. It was still a hassle to get the plants inside. After Phil wrestled the last Christmas cactus through the doorway, we fell into bed, exhausted.

At 2:00 A.M., an alarm woke us, followed by pounding on nearby doors. We heard sirens. Then voices. “Police! Get out, the motel’s on fire!” The fire was in the other wing, so we had enough time to gather our things and haul Mom’s plants back out into the chilly night. We got them into the car and then climbed in ourselves, watching as flames engulfed the motel restaurant and the rooms above it. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Today, whenever Mom’s Christmas cactuses bloom, we remember how hard we worked to save them, and how they ended up saving us.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How do we respond to Christ’s message of hope: “Your redemption is near”? Do we allow its liberating promise to penetrate our lives so that we look critically at our present time, discern what really matters, and engage in our daily work with courage and joy? Do the convulsions of today’s distressed world lead us to dismay and fear; or do we consider them as a prelude to the redemptive final consummation of the salvation worked by Christ, the Son of Man, on the cross?

2. Do you have experiences similar to Daniel’s rescue from the lion’s den? How did you respond to the saving event?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Father,

you are the wellspring of hope.

Make us realize that the convulsions of your beloved creation

are a prelude to the Son of Man’s final coming.

In the midst of the travails and miseries of today’s world,

help us to trust in his Message:

“Your redemption is at hand.”

We praise and bless you, now and forever.

Amen.

***

O loving God,

you rescued the faithful Daniel from the lion’s den.

Daniel prayed to you

and loved you with uncompromising loyalty.

Give me the grace to be faithful to you.

Rescue me from the clutches of evil

and be my redeemer in death-dealing situations.

You are victorious over death and all-powerful,

now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Your redemption is at hand.” (Lk 21:28) //“My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths.” (Dn 6:22)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

When the world events as presented by today’s mass media daunt you, trust in the Lord’s assurance that our redemption is at hand. Fast from the excessive use of digital media as a way of preparation for his advent. // Resolve to be faithful to God no matter what and be diligent in your exercises of piety. In time of need and danger, call upon him and trust in his protecting hand.

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November 28, 2025: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (34)

FRIDAY – THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

“JESUS SAVIOR: His Words Will Not Pass Away … He Is the Son of Man that Is Coming on the Clouds of Heaven”

BIBLE READINGS

Dn 7:2-14 // Lk 21:29-33

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:29-33): “When you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.”

In today’s Gospel (Lk 21:29-33), Jesus underlines that the signs of the arrival or “advent” of God’s kingdom are as obvious as the change of season. Jesus remarks that “the fig tree and all the other trees” – when their buds open – they indicate that summer is near. The trees seem “dead” during winter, but with the annual return of sap through the bare spiky twigs, the trees burst with new life. Just as the blossoming trees in spring indicate that summer is coming, so also the occurrences of messianic “signs” and apocalyptic convulsions point to the coming of the kingdom. One “sign” is the imminent destruction of the Jerusalem temple. The Parable of the Fig Tree emphasizes the certainty of the fulfillment of salvation history. It is ongoing, but it will be completed. The “blossoming” of the tress likewise evokes the future destiny of the Church: only after the faith community has withered the storms of winter and experienced the agony of “paschal” death will the kingdom be near. The final words of Jesus are powerful: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” The words of Jesus endure because of his absolute authority. As the Son of God, he is not just a foreteller of the course of history, but its origin, meaning, purpose and goal.

Like the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, the 9/11 tragedy is an apocalyptic “sign” – not of total destruction – but of the power of life. The faith, love, prayers and heroism that emerge from the rubble and ashes of 9/11 show that evil does not have the final word. The Lord Jesus has the ultimate say for “heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will not pass away”. We believe that in the midst of tragic events the kingdom of God is near at hand and that God is in control. Here is a faith testimony about the 9/11 event (cf. Brigitte Weeks in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 279).

The elevator stopped at the twenty-second floor and I got off, just as I did every weekday. “Hey”, Elizabeth said, “I heard there’s been a plane crash somewhere downtown.” We had no information and no idea of the enormity of what was happening on that September day in 2001.

We all crowded together with questions that had no answers. There was a portable TV in the conference room, so we strained to make sense of the blurry images of what was happening only a mile and a half from our office. We were transfixed and horrified. As the truth of the disaster became clearer, those with family and friends in the financial district tried to make contact. We held hands with those who could get no response, while the sounds of police cars and fire trucks became one high-pitched wail.

As information trickled in, we began to feel panicked, helpless, unable to function. I felt a kind of unimaginably heavy responsibility because I was the boss. “Let’s go to my apartment”, I said. It was within walking distance, and we could stay together and find out more what was happening. Ten of us came together and prayed. Some prayers were simple: “Help us.” Others were the same prayer that was being said all over the city: “I am safe. Are you safe? I love you.”

As we prayed for all those who would never say those words, and for those whose lives were forever changed, we were grateful for the hands we held and the comfort we share.

Lord, comfort those who will never forget, and bring Your peace to the nations of the world.

B. First Reading (Dn 7:2-14): “I saw one like a son of man coming on the clouds of heaven.”

In today’s Old Testament reading (Dn 7:2-14), the vision of Daniel concerning the four beasts represents the rise and fall of the four major kingdoms that ruled over God’s people from the exile to the time when the book of Daniel was written in the 2^nd century B.C. His vision of the “son of man” coming on the clouds of heaven and receiving dominion, glory and kingship originally represented the vindication of the persecuted people of Israel, bitterly oppressed under the reign of the detested pagan Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, whose kingship was about to be shattered. The image of the human figure enthroned in glory, however, later came to be applied to the expected Messiah. Christians see the fulfillment of this apocalyptic vision in the person of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the prophet Daniel’s fascinating vision of one like a Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, who receives the homage of all peoples, nations and languages and wields an everlasting dominion, is a prophecy par excellence of Christ’s glorious coming in judgment at the end-time or parousia. The final advent of the Messiah-Almighty King is one of restoration and communion.

Daniel’s prophecy that the Son of Man receives “dominion, glory and kingship” and that “nations and peoples of every language serve him” is a reality that we have experienced in the Walk for Peace and Vocations that we made in Fresno on the eve of Christ the King this year. The participants are from all walks of life, from all ages, speaking different tongues and proud of each one’s culture. At the end of the pilgrimage walk, we celebrated our oneness in the Lord at the Eucharistic table, extolling Christ as the King of us all and of all creation. The sense of belonging to the kingdom of Christ and the perception that “we walk by faith” with him are special graces we have received in the “Walk for Peace and Vocations” that we organized on November 23, 2013 to culminate the Year of Faith.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we believe in the saving power of Jesus who said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”? How do we collaborate with Jesus in bringing salvation history to completion?

2. What are the feelings and insights generated in us by the prophet Daniel’s apocalyptic vision of “one like a son of man coming on the clouds of heaven … who received dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve him …”? Does the figure of the “son of man” who receives everlasting dominion increase in us the conviction that the forces of evil would not prevail and that the reign of God would ultimately triumph?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus,

you are the Lord of history.

You are its origin, purpose, meaning and goal.

You bring the divine saving plan to completion.

Your word of love and Gospel of salvation will endure.

Help us to cooperate with you

in bringing forth the advent of God’s kingdom.

We trust in you who said,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

***

Loving Father,

we thank you for giving us a vision of your glory and power.

We thank you for the vision of the “Son of Man”

coming on the clouds of heaven.

He is Christ the Lord, our eternal King.

He is worthy of our love, adoration and absolute service.

Let him reign in us, forever and ever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Lk 21:33) //“His dominion is an everlasting dominion.” (Dn 7:14)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

In the midst of today’s culture of death, renew your trust in God, the Lord of history. In your daily life, make choices that will promote the saving design of God. // In your daily life, let the kingship of Christ reign in your hearts, mind and will. By word and deed, let the people around you feel that you really belong to him.

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November 29, 2025: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (34); BVM ON SATURDAY

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Exhorts Us to Be Vigilant … He Assures Us of Final Victory”

BIBLE READINGS

Dn 7:15-27 // Lk 21:34-36

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:34-36): “Be vigilant that you may have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent.”

I had filed my application for a religious visa at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines, and was scheduled for an interview on September 3, 2002. At 4:30 A.M. I was on my way to Manila from our convent in Antipolo City. At 6:30 A.M. I was at the gate of the Embassy patiently waiting for what I thought was an 8:30 A.M. interview. I finally realized that I belonged to a group of about 50 applicants whose papers began to be processed at 8:30 A.M. There were several groups ahead of us and other groups waiting behind us. At 10:00 A.M. we were ushered into a big room where American consuls were interviewing the applicants. It was a lengthy period of waiting. We had to stay awake, alert, and ready to be called at any time. I could not afford to doze off or take a break for fear that I would miss my opportunity for the interview. At 2:30 P.M. my name was called. After a three-minute interview my visa was approved. I went home happy and relieved. My patient waiting and vigilant expectation paid off.

The Gospel (Lk 21:34-36) proclaimed today – the end of the liturgical year - challenges us to prepare for the Lord with vigilance and renewed watchfulness. Jesus instructs his disciples how to live until the closing of the age: “Stay awake … Do not become drowsy … Be vigilant at all times … Pray that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man!” The followers of Christ are watchful to receive the Lord’s daily visitation and ready to welcome him at his glorious return in the end time. Creative and forceful vigilance is a vital characteristic of Christian discipleship. It enables us to be ready for the unforeseen but sure advent of the Lord.

B. First Reading (Dn 7:15-27): “Kingship and domain shall be given to the holy people of the Most High.”

On the last day of the liturgical year, the reading (Dn 7:15-27) assures us that “kingship and dominion shall be given to the holy people of the Most High”. The reading is about Daniel’s vision of the “fourth beast”, which symbolizes the kingdom of the Greeks. The “ten horns” of the fourth beast represent the divided Greek empire of Alexander the Great while the blasphemous “little horn” represents the ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanus, who persecuted the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea from 168 B.C. to 165 B.C. Senselessly and brutally, King Antiochus IV attempted to do away with the Jewish feasts, the Sabbath and the whole Mosaic Law. His reign lasted “a year, two years, and a half-year”, or a period of “three and a half years”, that is, half the perfect number “seven”. The duration of his reign thus symbolizes a period of intense evil and suffering for the Jews.

The angel who interpreted Daniel’s vision assures him that though the presumptuous “little horn” wars against “the holy ones of the Most High”, its power will be destroyed finally and completely. Moreover, the angel asserts that the power and greatness of all the kingdoms on earth will be given to the people of the Supreme God, whose Kingdom is everlasting and whose dominion is over all.

The following World War II account gives insight into the victory and liberation that the “holy people” would experience (cf. Diane Rondo Fanelli, “When They Saw Us, They Wept” in Reminisce, June/July 2015, p. 28).

My father, Herbert E. Rondo Jr., served as a motor machinist mate on the USS Brister from 1943 to 1946. Just days after the formal surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the Brister was one of the first Allied units to enter the heavily mined waters of northern Formosa (Taiwan today) to evacuate 1,200 U.S. and Allied prisoners of war from the island.

In a letter he wrote to his parents several days later, my father described the risk of maneuvering through the mined harbor, where they shelled two mines. Yet he never though he was in a real danger until the ship tied up. “We found the Japanese fully armed with swords and rifles, and we also noticed the huge shore guns trained on our ships”, he wrote. “They could have blown us out of the water, and we could have done nothing about it. But we also found out that they were plenty afraid of us. They didn’t bother us in the least, but I didn’t feel very safe walking round so many of them.”

The former prisoners were taken to the ships by train, most having been imprisoned for three and a half years. He wrote, “They were a pitiful sight physically … but spiritually they were the happiest men in the world. When they saw us, they wept.”

The Brister took aboard 180 former prisoners, who ate their first bread, butter, and meat in years. “We fed them like kings and went without ourselves.”

My brother and I did not learn of this remarkable account until we were grown.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we intent on living righteously in constant readiness for the coming of the Son of Man? What does our renewed vigilance for the Lord’s coming consist in?

2. Do we believe that the power of evil will be taken away “by final and absolute destruction” and that the “holy ones of the Most High” will savor the joy and peace in his everlasting Kingdom?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus,

you want us to be vigilant at all times

that we may be ready for the day of your coming

and may have strength to escape the imminent tribulations.

Give us the grace to make you the center of our life

so that your final advent may be for us a day of salvation.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

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O loving God,

your Kingdom is everlasting

and your dominion is over all.

Grant us faith and courage

in the threat of evil and the pain of persecution.

Let us experience your saving power

and the comfort of your vindication.

We give you glory and praise, now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Be vigilant at all times and pray.” (Lk 21:36) // “His Kingdom shall be everlasting; all dominions shall serve and obey him.” (Dn 7:27)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

With fraternal solicitude seek to alleviate the various forms of poverty and injustice in our local and world community, e.g. the tragedy of hunger, the plight of the homeless, the loneliness of the elderly, the persecution of Christians, the terror of war and ecological destruction, etc. // Thank the Lord for the blessings you have experienced in the liturgical year that is about to end and embrace with hope the new liturgical year of grace, knowing that God’s power is almighty and his Kingdom is everlasting.

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