December 10
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intention
7:45 AM – James Collins & Catherine Bona Collins / Family
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
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.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Gospel Acclamation
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord will come; go out to meet him!
He is the prince of peace.
R. Alleluia, 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.”
“Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.”
Reflection
There are those times when no-matter what we do it is not good enough.
Today, in the Gospel of Matthew, we hear Jesus lament the fact that God the Father sent John the Baptist to foretell the good news of Christ and the crowds thought he was possessed by a demon because he fasted, and did not eat or drink. Jesus, the Son of Man came to them eating and drinking, and they condemned him and called him a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. It seems that some people are never happy!
So, exactly what was the crowd looking for? Clearly, they were searching for one who did not fast, who did not eat, who did not drink, who did not condemn people, but neither forgave them.
All of this proves the point that the people Christ tried to minister to, often did not want a savior. Certainly, they were looking for something, but not what Christ offered. What were they looking for? They were looking for a savior that followed the social construct of the day, one who would push back against enemies, tell believers that they were sinless and justified in all things, and one that would never offer criticism. This was not who Jesus was. Jesus was sent to uphold justice and peace, and to lead believers to eternal life.
During this season of Advent, may we not be like those to whom Jesus attempted to minister. May we, instead, be open and honest about the type of people Christ calls us to become. May we be ready to relinquish our sinful ways and embrace the Child Jesus, as well as the second coming for which we wait.
Peace,
Fr. John
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