Daniel’s vision offers hope to humanity!

November 28, 2025 Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Daniel 7:2-14; Luke 21:29-33

Prophet Daniel is given a vision by night. Four winds of heaven stir up the great sea and four great beasts come up out of it. The first one is like a lion with eagles’ wings. It had human mind. The second one looks like a bear with three tusks in its mouth among its teeth. It is supposed to devour many bodies. The third one looks like a leopard with four wings of a bird and four heads. It is vested with lots of power. The fourth one is terrifyingly dreadful and exceedingly strong with great iron teeth. It was quite different from the rest as it had ten horns. There appears an Ancient One. He takes his throne. His clothing is white as snow. His hair is like pure wool. His throne is fiery flames and its wheels are burning fire. A stream of fire flow out from his presence. A thousand thousands serve him. He sits on judgement seat and books are opened. All the four beasts are put to death and their bodies are destroyed in fire. Someone looking like a human figure comes to the Ancient One and is presented before Him. He receives dominion, glory and kingship. Peoples and nations and languages must serve him. His powerful kingship will never be destroyed. Symbolically the great sea points to tumult of nations. The first beast is Babylonian Empire. The second one is Persian Empire. The third a symbol of Greek Empire and the fourth Roman Empire. The Ancient One is God and the human figure who comes out of the clouds and receives power and authority is the Son of Man. The New Testament sees him as Jesus Christ who gives never-dying hope. 

Fig tree and in fact all the trees in the Gospel Reading of the day become a metaphor. When they begin to sprout, humans understand that summer is near. Humans read the signs of the time. When natural calamities occur one after another and when humans wage war against one another, as Daniel saw in his vision, it is time for the Son of Man to come and establish his never-ending kingdom. Human kingdoms will perish but the words of Jesus will never. This parable challenges the believers to initiate the process of discernment of the will of God. They have to be ready without fear but filled with hope!

Call to Action: God created this world for human persons to live and enjoy all the benefits but not at the cost of living without God-consciousness and love for one’s neighbour. It is a challenge that believers have to constantly face!