Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time (I)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Daniel 7.15-27

My spirit trembled.
I, Daniel, was frightened at these things,
and the visions in my head troubled me.
I went near to one standing by
and asked him the truth
concerning all these things,
and he told me
the interpretation of the words,
and instructed me:

“These four great beasts are four kingdoms,
which shall arise out of the earth.
But the saints of the Most High God
shall receive a kingdom
and possess the kingdom forever and ever.”

After this I was diligent to learn
about the fourth beast,
which was very different from all the others,
and exceedingly terrible:
its teeth and claws were of iron;
it devoured and broke in pieces,
and the rest it stamped on with its feet,
and about the ten horns on its head,
and about the other horn which came up,
before which three horns fell,
and of the horn’s eyes
and the mouth speaking great things,
and how it was greater than the others.

As I watched, that horn
made war against the saints,
and prevailed over them,
until the Ancient of Days came
and gave justice to the saints of the Most High,
and the time came when the saints
obtained the kingdom.

And thus he said:
“The fourth beast shall be
the fourth kingdom upon earth,
which shall be greater than all the kingdoms,
and shall devour the whole earth
and tread it down and break it in pieces.
And the ten horns of this kingdom,
shall be ten kings.

Another shall rise up after them,
and he shall be mightier
than those who went before.
He shall bring down three kings.
He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall crush the saints of the Most High,
and he shall think himself able
to change times and laws,
and they shall be delivered into his hand
until a time and times and half a time.

But the court shall sit in judgment,
so that his power shall be taken away,
and be broken in pieces,
and perish to the very end,
so that the kingdom and the power
and the greatness of the kingdoms
under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people
of the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and all kings shall serve him and obey him.

Responsorial – Daniel 3.82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 Resp. Psalm 66.2b

R. Give to him glory and praise!

You sons and daughters of humans, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.

R. Give to him glory and praise!

O Israel bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.

R. Give to him glory and praise!

Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.

R. Give to him glory and praise!

Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.

R. Give to him glory and praise!

Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.

R. Give to him glory and praise!

You holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord:
praise and exalt him above all forever.

R. Give to him glory and praise!

Gospel – Luke 21.34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Guard yourselves,
lest your hearts be burdened
with parties and liquor and anxieties
and that day come upon you suddenly.
Like a trap, it shall spring upon all
who sit upon the face of the whole earth.
Keep watch, praying at all times,
so that you will become strong enough
to escape all these things that are to come,
and to stand before the Son of Human."