Daily Readings Reflection for 11/23/09

Reflection on Today’s Daily Readings by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings


Scripture: Lectionary # 503. Daniel 1:1-6.8-20. Dan. 3:52-56. Luke 21:1-4.

An article in the Sunday newspaper was about a new word that came into use
this year due to twittering, face-book, etc. It is the word "unfriend."
It means either losing a friend or cutting a friend out of one's life. Not
a good word! The writer gave us her word for the coming year and it is
well known but offers us a more optimistic way of looking at life and at
our friends and neighbors. That word is "Blessed." The writer was
expressing her thanks for all the good things that happened to her and her
family. She equated it with "thanksgiving" and this is close to the
biblical meaning of the word and even closer to the word for Eucharist in
the New Testament. Her choice fits in with the meaning of this week as we
head toward Thanksgiving Day. It offers us a way of remembering to thank
God during this week and the weeks to come as we approach another Advent
and a new beginning in the liturgical year. We have an opportunity to
thank God for the many blessings we have received both spiritual and
ordinary ones.

Our responsorial psalm is actually taken from the Book of Daniel and thus
continues with the first reading in an expression of prayer that is filled
with the word blessing throughout the chosen verses. For example, "Blessed
are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors, praiseworthy and exalted above
all forever." During this week this selection from Daniel can easily be
our way of thanking God for the many blessings and graces we have received.

The return to the story of Jesus seeing the poor widow putting in her last
penny into the Temple collection shows us a magnanimous soul who gave
everything she had back to God in a true spirit of thanksgiving. She was a
friend of God! Amen.