Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 and//usccb.org/bible/daniel/5and1 DN 5and1-6, 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 blanchedhis 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 difficultiesif 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 kingand You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone elsebut 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 themand 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 inscribedandMENE, TEKEL, and PERES.These words meanandMENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to itTEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wantingPERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Responsorial Psalm and//usccb.org/bible/daniel/3and62 DANIEL 3and62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 R. Give glory and eternal praise to him. Sun and moon, bless the Lordpraise and exalt him above all forever.” R.Give glory and eternal praise to him. Stars of heaven, bless the Lordpraise and exalt him above all forever.” R.Give glory and eternal praise to him. Every shower and dew, bless the Lordpraise and exalt him above all forever.” R.Give glory and eternal praise to him. All you winds, bless the Lordpraise and exalt him above all forever.” R.Give glory and eternal praise to him. Fire and heat, bless the Lordpraise and exalt him above all forever.” R.Give glory and eternal praise to him. Cold and chill, bless the Lordpraise and exalt him above all forever.” R.Give glory and eternal praise to him. Alleluia and//usccb.org/bible/revelation/2:10 RV 2:10C R.Alleluia, alleluia.Remain faithful until death,and I will give you the crown of life.R.Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel and//usccb.org/bible/luke/21:12 LK 21:12-19 Jesus said to the crowdand 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.”