DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION
NOVEMBER 27, 2025
THURSDAY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
(IN US - THANKSGIVING DAY)
FIRST READING
DANIEL 6:12-28 OR (IN US - SIRACH 50:22-24)
11 Some men rushed into the upper chamber of Daniel's home and found him praying and pleading before his God. 12 Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: “Did you not decree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?” 13 The king answered them, “The decree is absolute, irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law.” To this they replied, “Daniel, the Jewish exile, has paid no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you issued; three times a day he offers his prayer.” 14 The king was deeply grieved at this news and he made up his mind to save Daniel; he worked till sunset to rescue him. 15 But these men insisted. They said, “Keep in mind, O king, that under the Mede and Persian law every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable.” 16 So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions' den. To Daniel he said, “May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you.” To forestall any tampering, the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords 17 the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den. 18 Then the king returned to his palace for the night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since sleep was impossible for him,19 the king rose very early the next morning and hastened to the lions' den. 20 As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered the king: “O king, live forever! 22 My God has sent his angel and closed the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither to you have I done any harm, O king” 23 This gave the king great joy. At his order Daniel was removed from the den, unhurt because he trusted in his God. 24 The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions' den. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25 Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on the earth: “All peace to you! 26 I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: “For he is the living God, enduring forever; his Kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be without end. 27 He is a deliverer and savior, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and he delivered Daniel from the lions' power.”
The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
DANIEL 3:68-74 OR (IN US - PSALMS 138:1-5 / PSALMS 145:2-11)
Response: Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Bless the LORD, all rain and dew,
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Bless the LORD, winter cold and summer heat,
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Bless the LORD, dews and snows,
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Bless the LORD, nights and days,
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Bless the LORD, light and darkness,
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Bless the LORD, lightnings and clouds,
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Let the earth bless the LORD;
let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
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SECOND READING (IN US)
1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge -- 6 even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you -- 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Word of the Lord
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GOSPEL
The Son of man is coming with great glory
LUKE 21:20-28 OR (IN US - LUKE 17:11-19)
20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it; 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all that is written. 23 Alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people; 24 they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION
DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS
The signs have been accomplished, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The signs given in the Gospel and in prophecy and fulfilled in us show the coming of the Lord... We know that the coming is near by the fact that we see the fulfillment of certain signs of that coming that have been accomplished... The signs that Christ told them to look for are listed in the Gospel of Saint Luke: 'Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the nations are fulfilled.' This has happened and no one doubts that it has happened... It is plain that there is no country or place in our time that is not harassed or humbled according to the words 'for fear and expectation of what will come on the whole world.' All the signs that the gospel describes in the earlier verses have mostly been accomplished."
(excerpt from Letter 198)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.