1st Reading – Daniel 12:1-3

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 Book of Daniel tells us virtually all that we know about the prophet of the same name, but its authorship is unknown. Irregularities in the text, such as shifts in language, style, and narrative voice, suggest multiple authors or editors. It is written in both Hebrew and Aramaic.

The Book of Daniel is an example of apocalyptic literature, a genre characterized by symbolic imagery and a focus on divine intervention during times of distress. This style became especially popular between 200 BC and 200 AD, as Jewish communities faced various oppressions and sought literature that inspired hope in a larger plan.

Scholars generally date the Book of Daniel to the period of Antiochus IV Epiphanes’ rule, around 167-164 BC, a time marked by severe persecution of Jews. Continue reading “Nov 17, 2024: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)” →