Understand What The Book of Daniel Tells Us About Our Times

Understand What The Book of Daniel . . .

In the first reading (not included within this audio) the Book of Daniel . . .

offers us a remarkable series of visions. It is a series of visions, not just one.  The style is called apocalyptic. The word does not mean the destruction and end of the world.  That is what movies and popular culture presents. The word literally means revelation. It means reveal. It why the last book in the bible is called the Book of Revelations. Hear more within the Homily.

The reading describes strange beasts and a culminating moment of the arrival of One like the Son of Man. It points ahead to make sense of history and where it is going. Just like the readings earlier in the week with the king and dreams of creatures made of various materials. We hear about the waters stirred up with creatures rising from the waters.  Waters is an ancient symbol of chaos and destruction. In the modern day, water represents a positive term. Not in ancient times and not in the times of the Bible. Hear more in the Homily.

. . . Tells Us About Our Times

A series of creatures materialize. A leopard, the bear, and lion with wings and destructive capabilities. The creatures themselves represent nations. The lion is Babylon. The leopard is the Persians. The beasts walked like men, but there is no humanity within them. Why? Nations are a collection of powers. But they do not represent what it is to be human. Hear more within the Homily.

The issue is not racism or cultural criticism. The issue is things that are ordered in worldly terms, even when they are done by men and women, often serve to reduce human dignity. Hear more within the Homily.

One nation overturn another.  Suddenly out of the chaos something even more horrifying emerges. This beast destroys everything in front of it.  It even destroys parts of itself. This odd emergence is so violent it cannot be overcome.

The Book of Daniel references the times of Babylon, and also references our times.

Understand What The Book of Daniel Tells Us About Our Times.

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Daniel’s Vision of the Beasts: Italian Painter: Luigi Sabatelli: 1809

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