Reading 1 Dn 7:15-27 I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.I approached one of those presentand asked him what all this meant in truth;in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:"These four great beasts stand for four kingdomswhich shall arise on the earth.But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,to possess it forever and ever."But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast,so very terrible and different from the others,devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws,and trampling with its feet what was left;about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up,before which three horns fell;about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly,which appeared greater than its fellows.For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy onesand was victorious until the Ancient One arrived;judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.He answered me thus:"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earthdifferent from all the others;It shall devour the whole earth,beat it down, and crush it.The ten horns shall be ten kingsrising out of that kingdom;another shall rise up after them,Different from those before him,who shall lay low three kings.He shall speak against the Most Highand oppress the holy ones of the Most High,thinking to change the feast days and the law.They shall be handed over to himfor a year, two years, and a half-year.But when the court is convened,and his power is taken awayby final and absolute destruction,Then the kingship and dominion and majestyof all the kingdoms under the heavensshall be given to the holy people of the Most High,Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:all dominions shall serve and obey him." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."You sons of men, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."O Israel, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him. Alleluia Lk 21:36 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Be vigilant at all times and prayThat you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:34-36 Jesus said to his disciples:"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsyfrom carousing and drunkennessand the anxieties of daily life,and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.For that day will assault everyonewho lives on the face of the earth.Be vigilant at all timesand pray that you have the strengthto escape the tribulations that are imminentand to stand before the Son of Man." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 7:2-14 In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,from which emerged four immense beasts,each different from the others.The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings.While I watched, the wings were plucked;it was raised from the ground to stand on two feetlike a man, and given a human mind. The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh." After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;on its back were four wings like those of a bird,and it had four heads.To this beast dominion was given.After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,different from all the others,terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,and what was left it trampled with its feet.I was considering the ten horns it had,when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.This horn had eyes like a man,and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.As I watched,Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne.His clothing was snow bright,and the hair on his head as white as wool;His throne was flames of fire,with wheels of burning fire.A surging stream of fireflowed out from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened, and the books were opened.I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant wordswhich the horn spoke, until the beast was slainand its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.As the visions during the night continued, I sawOne like a son of man coming,on the clouds of heaven;When he reached the Ancient Oneand was presented before him,He received dominion, glory, and kingship;nations and peoples of every language serve him.His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat shall not be taken away,his kingship shall not be destroyed. Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever.R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"You springs, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him! Alleluia Lk 21:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Stand erect and raise your headsbecause your redemption is at hand.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:29-33 Jesus told his disciples a parable."Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.When their buds burst open,you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;in the same way, when you see these things happening,know that the Kingdom of God is near.Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass awayuntil all these things have taken place.Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18 Brothers and sisters:If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved.For one believes with the heart and so is justified,and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.The Scripture says,No one who believes in him will be put to shame.There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;the same Lord is Lord of all,enriching all who call upon him.For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?And how can they hear without someone to preach?And how can people preach unless they are sent?As it is written,How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!But not everyone has heeded the good news;for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?Thus faith comes from what is heard,and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.But I ask, did they not hear?Certainly they did; forTheir voice has gone forth to all the earth,and their words to the ends of the world. Responsorial Psalm PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11 R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.The law of the LORD is perfect,refreshing the soul;The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,giving wisdom to the simple.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.The precepts of the LORD are right,rejoicing the heart;The command of the LORD is clear,enlightening the eye.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.The fear of the LORD is pure,enduring forever;The ordinances of the LORD are true,all of them just.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.They are more precious than gold,than a heap of purest gold;Sweeter also than syrupor honey from the comb.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Alleluia Mt 4:19 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Come after me, says the Lord,and I will make you fishers of men.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 4:18-22 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.He said to them,"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."At once they left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,with whom he drank.Under the influence of the wine,he ordered the gold and silver vesselswhich Nebuchadnezzar, his father,had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,to be brought in so that the king, his lords,his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.When the gold and silver vesselstaken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainerswere drinking wine from them,they praised their gods of gold and silver,bronze and iron, wood and stone.Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,the fingers of a human hand appeared,writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace.When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,and his knees knocked.Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,you shall be clothed in purple,wear a gold collar about your neck,and be third in the government of the kingdom."Daniel answered the king:"You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;but the writing I will read for you, O king,and tell you what it means.You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,might drink wine from them;and you praised the gods of silver and gold,bronze and iron, wood and stone,that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.But the God in whose hand is your life breathand the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down."This is the writing that was inscribed:MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.These words mean:MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him."Sun and moon, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."All you winds, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Fire and heat, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Cold and chill, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him. Alleluia Rev 2:10c R. Alleluia, alleluia.Remain faithful until death,And I will give you the crown of life.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:12-19 Jesus said to the crowd:"They will seize and persecute you,they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,and they will have you led before kings and governorsbecause of my name.It will lead to your giving testimony.Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speakingthat all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.You will even be handed over by parents,brothers, relatives, and friends,and they will put some of you to death.You will be hated by all because of my name,but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.By your perseverance you will secure your lives." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.