Gospel: December 16, 2024
December 16, 2024 (Monday)
3rd Week of Advent
Psalter: Week 3 / (Violet)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 25: 4-5ab, 6, 7bc, 8-9
Teach me your ways, O Lord.
1st Reading: Numbers 24: 2-7, 15-17a
He looked up and saw Israel camping, tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his song:
“Word of Balaam, son of Beor, the seer, the one who hears the words of God, and beholds the vision of the Almighty, in ecstasy, with eyes unveiled. How goodly are your tents, Jacob, your encampments, Israel!
Like valleys stretching far, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes planted by Yahweh, like cedars beside the waters.
His buckets are overflowing and his seeds are always watered. His king becomes stronger than Agag, and his kingdom grows.
Then Balaam pronounced his oracle:
“Word of Balaam, son of Beor, the seer, the one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, and sees the vision of the Almighty, in ecstasy, with eyes unveiled.
I see a figure, but not really. I behold him but not near. A star shall come forth from Jacob, he rises with a staff in his hand; he shatters the forehead of Moab and tears down all the sons of Sheth.
Gospel: Matthew 21: 23-27
Jesus had entered the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the Jewish authorities came to him and asked, “What authority have you to act like this? Who gave you authority to do all this?”
Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you a question, only one. And if you give me an answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. When John began to baptize, was it a work of God, or was it merely something human?”
They reasoned out among themselves, “If we reply that it was a work of God, he will say: Why, then, did you not believe him? And if we say: The baptism of John was merely something human, beware of the people: since all hold John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.”
And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what right I do these things.”
Reflection:
“The authority of Jesus”
Today’s Gospel narrates Jesus’ encounter with the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the Jewish authorities. They questioned the authority of Jesus, questioning as to the reason why Jesus did the things he was doing. Because the pericope of the Gospel is set in the Temple, they might have been referring to the actions of Jesus in the Temple such as healing the sick people. We may remember that the encounter narrated in today’s Gospel passage is preceded by the cleansing of the Temple (cf. Mt 21:12-17) and the cursing of the fig tree (cf. Mt 21:18-22). On the one hand, the cleansing of the Temple by Jesus is undoubtedly a prophetic act, which tells of the prophet’s recognition of God’s sovereign authority. On the other hand, Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree is an exercise of his power from within. Hence, the authority of Jesus clearly comes from God, a thing which the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the Jewish authorities failed to recognize. The season of Advent is a time to begin recognizing God’s authority over our lives.
