The first reading describes an amazing story about the Babylonian king, Belshazzar, and the mysterious writing on the wall. Earlier, at a banquet, he had ordered the sacred gold and silver vessels from the Jerusalem temple be used as goblets for himself and his guests to toast the Babylonian gods. These vessels were taken from the temple in Jerusalem by Belshazzar's father, Nebuchadnezzar, who conquered the city.

At this point, a human finger appears and writes a message on the wall. None of the king's wise men or soothsayers could interpret it. Then, Daniel, an Israelite renowned for his wisdom is called in. As a young man, Daniel had been brought as a slave from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Refusing the reward offered by the king, Daniel interprets the message. It predicts the end of Belshazzar, and the coming of the reign of Cyrus. Soon, what Daniel prophesied comes true. Daniel's wisdom is displayed and a foreign king is eliminated for failing to respect the sovereignty of God.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds the disciples not to be overly concerned about the persecution which will befall the early Christian community. They must not worry about what to say in the time of trial; they will speak with a divine wisdom that no one can contradict.