Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection December 13, 2024
Second Week of Advent
13th December 2024 (Friday)
Psalter: Week 2
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Isaiah 48:17-19
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea; Your descendants would be like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, Their name never cut off or blotted out from my presence.
Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 (R. see John 8:12)
R/. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. The Lord will come; go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19
Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Friday – Second Week of Advent
Guidelines: Many suffer from prejudices and biases. This leads to stubbornness. Consequently, they fail to see and accept others as they are
1. The openness deficit is one serious deficit that leads to many other evils. Many are not open to see, accept, appreciate, and support the good in others. They also do not see, respect, and accept the validity of others’ opinions and ideas. They are clouded by various prejudices and cannot behold reality. Their ego, pride, and self-righteousness close their heart and vision.
2. Hence, they become intolerant, pessimistic, and negative toward others. They not only fail to see the good but even misinterpret it as bad. They twist the truth and present it according to their wrong perception and perspectives.
3. This is exactly what Jesus rebukes in the gospel in the people of his time. They are like the above-mentioned. They are like children who demand others to dance or mourn according to their tunes. They expect all others to move as they want. They want all others to see as they see.
4. They are stuck to their own judgments and assessments. That is why they blame John the Baptist’s austerity as demon-possession, and Jesus’ solidarity and flexibility as looseness.
5. They are perpetual fault-finders. Nothing and no one can satisfy them. The reason is quite simple: they capsule all others in their own self-demarcated misconceptions.
6. However, their prejudiced judgments and reactions do not change the truth. For “wisdom is justified by her deeds”. The criticism against John the Baptist and Jesus does not take away the truth of their authenticity. The problem is not of Jesus or the Baptist but that of the wrong perception.
7. Therefore, the remedy for this “perspective-defect” is attention to listening to God’s commandments and striving to follow them. We should get rid of our erroneous perspectives.
8. We should put on the mindset of God, adhering to his teachings and ways. Then the reward will be great. Peace and righteousness, posterity and longevity of life will be abundant.
Practice: If only we throw away the worthless baggage of our prejudices and misconceptions, and self-demarcated judgments; if only we are a little more open and accommodative to see, understand and appreciate the value of others, better wisdom and right judgment will prevail
