Please press here to listen to the homily or download
Monday – Thirty-fourth week – OT1
Readings: Dan 1:1-6, 8-20; Lk 21:1-4.
1/ First Reading: RSV Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, handsome and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to serve in the king’s palace, and to teach them the letters and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the rich food which the king ate, and of the wine which he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s rich food, or with the wine which he drank; therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs; 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink, should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own age. So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s rich food be observed by you, and according to what you see deal with your servants.” 14 So he hearkened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s rich food. 16 So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
2/ Gospel: RSV Luke 21:1 He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4 for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.”
I. THEME: Firmly believe in God’s providence.
Many people think in order to be happy they must have a lot of money to buy what they like, such as: good food, expensive clothing, a beautiful house and a deluxe car; but reality shows these things didn’t bring the true happiness for them; sometimes they also threaten people’s health and safety. In opposition, there are many poor, though they live a simple life, they are healthy, happy and peaceful, because they always believe in God and His providence.
Today readings highlight the exemplars of those who completely believed in God’s providence and lived a simple life. In the first reading, the prophet Daniel reported the story of four young Jews who revered God and kept His law. They are ready to give up all of the king’s privileges for eating and drinking in order to be loyal with God’s law and to live a simple life. With God’s protection, the king and his officers recognized they were healthy and wise more than the children who ate delicious food and drank wine. In the Gospel, Jesus recognized a widow who had put two her two copper coins in the treasury, was the one who put in more than any others because she sacrificed the money which was needed to support her life.
II. ANALYSIS:
1/ Reading I: Among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
1.1/ The Babylon king knew the Jews were wise: Most people recognized Jewish people are wise and courageous. Many think the reason why they have such qualities because they are God’s elected people. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, clearly knew this. When he was victorious over the Judah kingdom and took them on exile to Babylon, he thought about training of some Jewish young men to serve in his kingdom.
(1) The king’s thinking: After selected some young men from the Jewish royal and noble family to train, the Babylonian king thought he had to let them eat delicious food and drank wine, so that they would become wise and healthy people. Therefore, he commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to give them daily portion from the king’s food and wine. They must be nourished and trained in three years; after that, they must be presented before the king.
(2) Daniel’s courage: “Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s rich food, or with the wine which he drank; therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs; and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink, should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own age. So, you would endanger my head with the king.” Then Daniel said to the steward: “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s rich food be observed by you, and according to what you see deal with your servants.” So he hearkened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.”
1.2/ The result of having simple food: “So he hearkened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days, it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s rich food. So, the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore, they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.”
2/ Gospel: “She out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.”
2.1/ The standard used to determine the amount of donation: can’t be based on the amount alone, but also on the amount which the donator has. For example, one gives 5,000 dollars, but the amount he has is one million, the ratio he gives is 1/200, a small amount compared to his possession. Meanwhile, a poor man gives out two pennies, but his possession is four pennies, the ratio is ½; he gives half of his possession.
Jesus was probably sit on the “the court of women” in the Temple. He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. And he said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.”
In the people’s eyes, most of them will give a wrong evaluation. They will love the rich’s donation and despite the poor widow’s contribution. They probably think they can’t do anything with two copper coins, it is better to throw them out than to add them up in their bookkeeping. But to Jesus’ keenly eyes, he warned his disciples: Don’t evaluate according to outside value, but according to inside capacity.
2.2/ Faith in God’s providence and His love: Her generous contribution demanded her to have a firm faith in God’s providence and His love. Without this faith, she would keep that amount to support her life as many would do so. She believed in God’s love that He will not let her to be hungry to death. God loves her more than beasts of the field or birds of the air.
Money is the lowest thing to give; outside of money, a Christ’s disciple must also give many more difficult gifts, such as: will, love, time, talent and health. Jesus demands his disciples: “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 10:37-39).
III. APPLICATION IN LIFE:
– Happiness in life doesn’t depend on money, good food, or expensive clothing, but on faith in God’s love and providence.
– Richness makes us to believe in ourselves and to deny faith in God’s love and providence. Not only that, it also threatens happiness and peace of ourselves and our family.
– The purpose of our life is to show our faith in God and our love for Him. When we have opportunities, we must show Him our faith even we have to sacrifice our life.