Tuesday, November 26, 2013. 

Today's Liturgical Reading by Daily Flash, Goa.  

Daniel 2:31-45; Psalm Daniel 3:57-61; Gospel : Luke 21:5-11. [Please share today's Gospel with family, friends/neighbors.]

Focus:  “Do not be terrified” (Luke 21:9)

God knows how easily we frail human beings become frightened.  A statue in a dream was enough to scare mighty king Nebuchadnezzar (First Reading).  That is why throughout the Bible God asks us not to fear (Focus).

Yet, doesn’t our heart skip a beat each time we hear of wars, earthquakes, famines and plagues (Luke 21:9-11)?  In the midst of such alarming occurrences, we are to bless the Lord.  In today’s Psalm, the whole creation, from the heavens to the waters above the heavens, and the angels, indeed all powers of the Lord are called to bless the Lord.  Do we bless the Lord?

When we praise the Lord we acknowledge His authority over all our circumstances.  It is amazing that when we bless the Lord all our fears and worries dissolve in the sunshine of the Most High.  Like the huge and extraordinarily brilliant statue (Daniel 2:31) that turned out to be only a dream, all our fears become like chaff and are blown away by our praises.  Indeed, “not a hair of (our) head will perish” (Luke 21:18).

It is unfortunate that the praises of the Lord rarely escape our lips.  Yet in the Bible, especially in the Psalms, God exhorts us to praise Him always.  Can we bless the Lord today?  Can we surrender all our fears to him?

Fruit:  I will banish fear by remembering God’s goodness and mercy every moment of my life and praise Him without ceasing.