20251126 THE LORD HUMBLES THE ARROGANT AND RAISES UP THE LOWLY
26 November 2025, Wednesday, 34th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Daniel 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28 |
The writing on the wall
King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his noblemen; a thousand of them attended, and he drank wine in company with this thousand. As he sipped his wine, Belshazzar gave orders for the gold and silver vessels to be brought which his father Nebuchadnezzar had looted from the sanctuary in Jerusalem, so that the king, his noblemen, his wives and his singing women could drink out of them. The gold and silver vessels looted from the sanctuary of the Temple of God in Jerusalem were brought in, and the king, his noblemen, his wives and his singing women drank out of them. They drank their wine and praised their gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared, and began to write on the plaster of the palace wall, directly behind the lamp-stand; and the king could see the hand as it wrote. The king turned pale with alarm: his thigh-joints went slack and his knees began to knock.
Daniel was brought into the king’s presence; the king said to Daniel, ‘Are you the Daniel who was one of the Judaean exiles brought by my father the king from Judah? I am told that the spirit of God Most Holy lives in you, and that you are known for your perception, intelligence and marvellous wisdom. As I am told that you are able to give interpretations and to unravel difficult problems, if you can read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be dressed in purple, and have a chain of gold put round your neck, and be third in rank in the kingdom.’
Then Daniel spoke up in the presence of the king. ‘Keep your gifts for yourself,’ he said ‘and give your rewards to others. I will read the writing to the king without them, and tell him what it means. You have defied the Lord of heaven, you have had the vessels from his Temple brought to you, and you, your noblemen, your wives and your singing women have drunk your wine out of them. You have praised gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone, which cannot either see, hear or understand; but you have given no glory to the God who holds your breath and all your fortunes in his hands. That is why he has sent the hand which, by itself, has written these words. The writing reads: Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin. The meaning of the words is this: Mene: God has measured your sovereignty and put an end to it; Tekel: you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting; Parsin: your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.’
Responsorial Psalm | Daniel 3:62-67 |
Sun and moon! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Stars of heaven! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Showers and dews! all bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Winds! all bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Fire and heat! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Cold and heat! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Gospel Acclamation | Lk21:36 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Stay awake, praying at all times
for the strength to stand with confidence
before the Son of Man.
Alleluia!
Or: | Rv2:10 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Even if you have to die, says the Lord,
keep faithful, and I will give you
the crown of life.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 21:12-19 |
Your endurance will win you your lives
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’
THE LORD HUMBLES THE ARROGANT AND RAISES UP THE LOWLY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Dan 5:1-6. 13-14. 16-17. 23-28; Dan 3:62-67; Lk 21:12-19]
In the letter of St Peter, we read: “All of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.” (1 Pt 5:5f) Indeed, the Scripture readings today remind us that the arrogant will face the ultimate judgment of condemnation, whereas God will come to the aid of those who are humble.
In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar and his noblemen were feasting and enjoying themselves. They believed they were secure and that their city was impenetrable. It was well stocked with provisions, and because the Euphrates flowed through the city, there was no concern about water supply. The truth, however, is that when we become self-sufficient, we often become proud and overly self-confident. We see this arrogant attitude in many wealthy, powerful, and influential people. They despise others and think they can dictate everything with a simple word. Such people not only refuse to worship God but even defy Him.
This was precisely the case with Belshazzar. In his arrogance and presumptuous belief that he was all-powerful, he ordered that the gold and silver vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of Yahweh be brought in for use at his banquet. In doing so, he made a public statement that the God of Israel had no reality or power. Desecrating the sacred vessels was a direct act of defiance. Contempt for the sacred vessels was tantamount to contempt for God Himself. Belshazzar demeaned and insulted the God of Israel.
When we challenge God, He will challenge us in return. God brought Belshazzar to his senses when a mysterious hand appeared and wrote on the wall. Terrified, he sought an explanation from his astrologers, but they could not interpret the inscription, leaving him feeling even more helpless. Indeed, when we come face to face with the mystery of God, human pride collapses, and we are humbled before Him. We learn not to think too highly of ourselves and to recognise that before God, regardless of how much earthly power we wield, we are powerless. God is sovereign over all human rulers. Even when He does not intervene directly, He raises up prophets in every age to confront those who defy Him and imagine they possess ultimate power.
The irony was that Belshazzar, who despised the God of Israel, now had to turn to Daniel, a captive from Judah for help. Belshazzar had rejected Daniel’s God, yet Daniel was the only one who could interpret the writing. Through Daniel, God pronounced judgment: Belshazzar’s kingdom would come to an end and be divided. That very night, the Persians entered the city and killed him. Belshazzar had taken his kingship for granted and abused his authority. Because he misused the power given to him by God, he was deposed, and his glory was taken away. In this, God demonstrated that His power surpasses even the mightiest rulers. He can bring the proud to the dust. Daniel delivered the verdict: “You have defied the Lord of heaven, you have had the vessels from his Temple brought to you, and you, your noblemen, your wives and your singing women have drunk your wine out of them. You have praised gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone, which cannot either see, hear or understand; but you have given no glory to the God who holds your breath and all your fortunes in his hands.”
The real tragedy is that, despite the warnings, many in positions of power — like Belshazzar still refuse to pay attention to God’s call to repentance. Belshazzar clung arrogantly to his power and even promised that whoever could interpret the writing on the wall would “be dressed in purple, have a chain of gold put around his neck, and be third in rank in the kingdom.” His example teaches us that having clear information does not necessarily lead to change. Even after Daniel explained the message, Belshazzar remained unmoved. In the same way, having good education and knowing what is right and wrong do not automatically soften our hearts to obey the Lord. The world assumes that information alone brings transformation, but unless we are willing to welcome the truth, no amount of study or knowledge can lead us to live in righteousness and security. Proclaiming the Word of God does not by itself change lives — unless the Spirit of God touches hearts deeply and awakens them to their sinfulness.
Belteshazzar did not learn from his father, Nebuchadnezzar, the need for humility. After being warned by the prophet Daniel, who interpreted his dream, Nebuchadnezzar praised the God of Daniel, saying, “Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.” (Dn 4:18) He repented and proclaimed, “I blessed the Most High, and praised and honoured the one who lives forever. For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.” (Dn 4:34) As a result, “my majesty and splendour were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom.” (Dn 4:37) He concluded, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, for all his works are truth, and his ways are justice; and he is able to bring low those who walk in pride.” (Dn 4:37) Indeed, those who profane the Holy Name of God will receive their just deserts. Today, we may not desecrate holy vessels, but we continue to profane our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit.
God’s wisdom confounds human wisdom. Even the wise men of Belshazzar’s court could not interpret the writing on the wall. As St Paul said, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” (1 Cor 1:18f; cf. Isa 29:14) We must acknowledge the power and wisdom of God. Jesus in the Gospel also warned the people that their nation would face destruction if they rejected Him and His message. Even the Temple, the heart of Israel’s worship, would be destroyed, and many would perish. The consequences of rejecting God are painful and costly.
However, Jesus also assured those who remain faithful to God that He would deliver them. They would not face persecution and hostility alone. “Men will seize you and persecute you,” He said, yet such moments become opportunities for His disciples to bear powerful witness. Often, it is in times of trial that the most compelling testimony is given. And they will not be abandoned, for the Holy Spirit will be with them: “Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict.” It is within this context that we find consolation, knowing the Lord stands by us. God is faithful and will not allow us to be tested beyond our strength. Therefore, we must get rid of the false gods in our lives, which will only bring us unrest and dismay, as in the case of Belshazzar.
In the final analysis, those who are humble and rely on the Lord will find protection in Him. Jesus says, “You will be hated by all on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.” Even if they die, Jesus promises them eternal life with Him. His protection extends beyond this earthly life. To stand with Jesus is to find salvation. Suffering is sometimes inevitable because of sin, but giving in to sin leads to even greater suffering, resentment, and bitterness. It is not suffering itself that robs us of joy, but the way we handle it. Suffering endured for Christ, or in resisting sin, leads to life.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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