Word Wide Open: The Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) - 11/14/21

First Reading (Daniel 12:1-3)

A reading from the Book of Daniel.

In those days, I Daniel, 

    heard this word of the Lord:

"At that time there shall arise

    Michael, the great prince,

    guardian of your people;

it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress

    since nations began until that time.

At that time your people shall escape,

    everyone who is found written in the book.

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;

    some shall live forever,

    others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.

“But the wise shall shine brightly

    like the splendor of the firmament,

and those who lead the many to justice

    shall be like the stars forever."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does this reading tell us about the final judgment?


Second Reading (Hebrews 10:11-14, 18)

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews.

Brothers and sisters:

Every priest stands daily at his ministry,

offering frequently those same sacrifices

that can never take away sins. 

But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,

and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;

now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. 

For by one offering

he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.

Where there is forgiveness of these,

there is no longer offering for sin.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why are there no longer offerings for sin? Why are we continually called to make sacrifices in our own lives?

Gospel (Mark 13:24-32)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus said to his disciples:

"In those days after that tribulation

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from the sky,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'

with great power and glory,

and then he will send out the angels

and gather his elect from the four winds,

from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.

When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,

you know that summer is near.

In the same way, when you see these things happening,

know that he is near, at the gates. 

Amen, I say to you,

this generation will not pass away

until all these things have taken place. 

Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.

"But of that day or hour, no one knows,

neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What does it mean to be one of the elect? Why should we not worry about the end of the world?