Reading I 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 feet
like 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 fire
flowed 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 words
which the horn spoke, until the beast
was slain
and 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 saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm Daniel
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 heads
because 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 away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”