First Week of Advent - Week Day Readings

Monday, December 1, 2025

Monday of the First Week of Advent

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120125.cfm

22. HUMILITY AND HEALTH (MT 8:1-17)

“I desire that priests proclaim this great mercy of mine towards souls of sinners. Let the sinner not be afraid to approach me. The flames of mercy are burning me – clamoring to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these souls. Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at my insides.”

- Words of Jesus to St Faustina Kowalska

Matthew 8:1-17

After he had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them..

When he went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and

Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the subjects of the kingdom will be turned out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’ And to the centurion Jesus said, ‘Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you’. And the servant was cured at that moment.

And going into Peter’s house Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah: He took our sicknesses away and carried our diseases for us.

CHRIST THE LORD Jesus has power over sickness, one of the most visible results of the evil introduced into the world by original sin. These three miracles show that this power, which Christ wields in love, extends to every strata of sickness.

Leprosy was one of the most feared (and most frequently encountered) diseases in ancient times. This bacterial skin infection started small, almost imperceptibly, but it soon spread, rotting the victim’s extremities (fingers, nose, lips, etc.) and issuing a thoroughly repugnant odor. Lepers were excluded from society and left to die a slow, painful, humiliating death. The gradual but incurable descent into death was an eloquent symbol of sin’s effect on a person’s soul.

The Centurion’s servant suffered from some kind of paralysis, a sickness that went deeper than leprosy’s skin-deep infection. Peter’s mother-in-law suffered from a fever, a sickness that went deeper yet, its cause frequently unknown, often inciting the invalid to slip into delirium, or even to lose consciousness altogether.

Citizens of the third millennium, so familiar with advanced medicine, can still identify with the desperate feeling of helplessness in the face of illness that comes across so clearly in these encounters. And yet, Jesus cures them all. Not everyone is helpless in the face of evil, sickness, and impending death. The One who just finished teaching us the path to true happiness now proves that he isn’t helpless at all; rather, he is worthy of our trust – he is the Lord.

CHRIST THE TEACHER The Centurion’s faith impresses Christ so much that it inspires him to give an impromptu sermon, a sermon with a sobering lesson. In order to take our seats at the Messianic banquet (the biblical image for heaven – a huge banquet, a massive wedding reception), we must have faith in Jesus Christ, a faith as vibrant as the Centurion’s. But the Centurion only came to such a strong faith by traveling the uncomfortable path of humility – a path that those who are more familiar with Christ (the Centurion was a foreigner, remember, not part of the Jewish family) often try to bypass.

The Centurion was stationed in Galilee and obviously had become familiar with Jewish doctrine – that the Israelites were a people chosen by the one, true God, and that the Gentiles would receive salvation only through them, not because the Gentiles deserved it, but solely because of God’s mercy. He was in charge of a division of 100 soldiers, an officer in the world’s most powerful army, and a Roman ruler of a conquered people – yet in spite of so many reasons to be arrogant, he says to this poor carpenter from Nazareth: “I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.” No wonder Christ was amazed.

The leper expressed this same humility and faith. He approached Jesus, did him homage, and then simply laid his need at Jesus’ feet: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Entrance into Christ’s Kingdom passes through one door only, that of humble faith in Jesus Christ. Without stooping to admit our need for God, and our basic unworthiness to receive his grace, we simply can’t make it across the threshold.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Lepers were forced by Jewish law to live completely separate from the rest of the community, primarily because of the highly contagious nature of the disease, but also because leprosy was commonly viewed to be a punishment inflicted by God for some hidden sin. They weren’t allowed to come within 100 yards of healthy people. And yet, this leper approached Jesus; he came right up to him. There must have been something about Christ that inspired confidence.

The leper sensed that Jesus would not be repulsed by his disgusting disease. And he was right. Jesus not only smiled and healed him, but he reached out and touched him – not for publicity’s sake (he urged the man to keep the miracle under wraps), but just to be close to him. Jesus wants to be close to us, to “take our sicknesses away” by walking by our side. He touches the mother-in-law’s hand; he offers to come to the Centurion’s house – the heart of Christ is the heart of a faithful, close, unconditional Friend.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Sometimes I wish I could see your miracles firsthand. But many saw them and still didn’t believe. I believe in you. I don’t need to see any miracles. You have given me so much and shown me so much. One sunset is enough for me, Lord. You are goodness itself and the source of all that is good. I want to follow you, through sickness or health, and I want to help many others to follow you too...

Lord, at times I wish you would simply resolve all my problems right away. But in your wisdom you don’t. You know how necessary it is for me to learn how much I need you. Humility is so hard for me! How much peace there must be in a humble soul! You were humble, Lord; all that mattered to you was doing the Father’s will. Make me like you; Thy will be done...

You know all my hidden sins and infirmities. And yet you still reach out to touch me. This love dazzles and disorients me. Thank you, Jesus. Lord Jesus, strengthen and enlighten my heart that is so weak and dark...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. Who are the lepers of the communities where we live and work? How can we be more Christlike in their regard?

3. If we believed more deeply in the power of prayer to heal people in need, how would that affect our prayer habits?

4. The Church has taught us to pray the Centurion’s prayer right before receiving Holy Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy....” Why do you think this phrase is placed precisely there in the liturgy? How can this Bible passage help you pray it more fervently?

Cf. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 547-550 on the signs of the Kingdom; 2546, 2713, and 2777-2778 on humility in prayer

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120225.cfm

186. JOY AND HOPE (LK 10:13-24)

“What more do we want than to have at our side a friend so loyal that he will never desert us when we are in trouble or in difficulties, as worldly friends do?”

- St Theresa of Avila

Luke 10:13-24

‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. And still, it will not go as hard with Tyre and Sidon at the Judgement as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell. Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.’

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said, ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’ It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’

CHRIST THE LORD Jesus identifies himself with his chosen missionaries. To demonstrate what a high privilege that is, St Luke records some of the boldest claims that Jesus ever made.

First, we hear him reprimand the towns that refused to accept his teaching and apply it to their lives. His reaction to their rejection is passionate and dramatic; he prophesies that their cold reception will lead to their demise on the Day of Judgment. The implication is clear: Jesus is the One sent by the Father, and the way we treat Jesus is the way we treat God, for good or for ill.

Second, he exults in the faith-filled welcome the seventy-two gave to his grace, which enabled them to push back Satan’s conquests and advance Christ’s eternal Kingdom. In the course of that exultation he actually identifies himself with the Father; he explains that although they are two separate persons, they are completely united in the knowledge and love they share – knowledge and love being the two characteristics that bring persons into communion with each other. Here we have a protolesson on the Blessed Trinity.

Third, after celebrating the return of the seventy-two, Jesus speaks alone with his apostles. We can picture his eyes shining with an eager light, his gladness at the seventy-two’s faith still overflowing in his countenance. And then it overflows again in his words as he explains that his mission, his presence in Israel, and the establishment of his Church are what all human history and all salvation history had been looking forward to. He is the “center of the universe and of history.” 1

CHRIST THE TEACHER Commentators vary on their interpretation of the striking phrase, “I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Some read it as if Jesus were smiling and affirming the reports from the seventy-two disciples that the devils submitted to them. It would be like Jesus saying, “Yes, while you were preaching and healing, I was here and I saw Satan’s rule rolling back wherever you spread the Good News.” Others read the saying as a preface to the rest of his minidiscourse, as a warning against unhealthy pride, which was the cause of Satan’s original fall from grace. In this case, the phrase would mean, “Well, it’s good that you have experienced the power of my salvation, but be careful. If you forget that this power comes not from yourselves but from on high, you may fall into the tragic trap that the devil fell into, thinking that you are on par with God.”

In either case, the lesson of his conversation with the returning disciples remains the same. Those who trust in God and obey his call in their lives, as did the seventy-two, will experience God’s power acting in and through their lives, and that is exactly what Christ is hoping for. And as long as they remember that their fruitfulness and effectiveness is based on God’s initiative and grace working in them, thus staying humble and trusting like “mere children,” all will be well. But if they begin to think too highly of themselves, as if their own greatness were yielding these remarkable results, thus considering themselves “the learned and the clever,” they will self-destruct.

How easy it is, even for those who have spent long years working faithfully in the Lord’s vineyard, to become dangerously proud and self-satisfied! The secret to perseverance in friendship with Christ is to draw our satisfaction not primarily from what we do, but from what God has done for us, and that requires the daily mental discipline of directing our thoughts again and again to God’s goodness, cultivating an attitude of gratitude. After all, what can give us greater happiness than knowing that our “names are written in heaven,” just as the names of citizens in the Greek cities at the time of Christ were carefully kept on regularly updated lists?

CHRIST THE FRIEND The disciples come back “rejoicing.” Jesus catches their spirit, and his acclamation of praise to the Father is given while he is “filled with joy by the Holy Spirit.” The Lord rejoices in our joys, just as much as he sorrows in our sorrows. We have a hard time understanding how deeply interested he is in our lives, but the fact remains, as this passage makes clear – he is deeply interested. This is one of Christianity’s great differences. The God of the Bible cares passionately about every single human soul. Was Jesus’ reaction to Bethsaida and Capernaum’s failure to repent one of indifference? Hardly – it was as full of pathos as his reaction to the successful mission of the seventy-two was full of joy. Christ’s heart beats with our hearts, because it is one with ours, because it came to earth and started beating in the first place in order to save our hearts from loneliness, frustration, and despair. He is the Friend beyond all imagining.

Philip: I will never forget that day when everyone came back from the second mission trip. We were all exhausted but overflowing with enthusiasm. Everyone wanted to tell Jesus about all the wonderful things that had happened. Everyone had some remarkable stories. As we came together, I was thinking to myself that Jesus wouldn’t be as eager to hear our stories as we were to tell them. After all, his own miracles were far beyond the scope of anything we were

doing. But I was wrong. As we approached him he came out towards us. It was as if he had been waiting for us. His eyes were full of welcome – and questions. He wanted to know everything. No detail was too slight for him. It made a lasting impression on me. I remembered it frequently in later years, when we had all gone out to spread the Church. When I prayed, I would remember how eagerly he had listened to the seventy-two, and I would tell him everything, absolutely everything that was going on. He would always answer me, somehow. That’s the way I stayed close to him.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE You have given me the universe. All that I see around me, Lord, is mine, because it is yours. You have given me your very self, and you continue to give me yourself every time I receive Holy Communion. You hold me in the palm of your hand. You, the all-powerful, all-knowing God, shower me with gifts. Thank you, Lord. Blessed be your name through all the earth...

I bear your name, and you have anointed my forehead with the sign of the cross. You have given me a mission in life, just as you gave one to the seventytwo. I am to bring the sweet aroma of your truth and love into the world where I live and work. Make me your faithful disciple, Lord, so that I can experience the joy of your victory, and so bring joy to your heart...

Why do I insist on walking alone through life? You are always thinking of me, like a lover in the full, fresh bloom of love. You are interested in me, wanting to teach and guide me in all my responsibilities, activities, and relationships. You are on the edge of your seat, waiting to see how I will respond to all the blessings and opportunities for growth that you send me. Thank you, Lord...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. How does Christ expect us to build his Kingdom in our current life-situation? What can help us do it more effectively?

3. Christ promises to protect those who trust him and strive to do his work. Have you ever felt that protection? Do the examples of the martyrs contradict Jesus’ promise that “nothing shall every hurt you”?

4. What does popular culture encourage us to “rejoice” in? What would Christ say about that?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 27, 30, 384, 1028, 1035, 1723 on how God gives happiness; 774-776 on the Church as the sacrament of salvation; 1554-1571 on the three degrees of holy orders

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest 

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120325.cfm

50. LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS (MT 15:29-39)

“It was the Lord who saved men, because they were incapable of saving themselves.”
- St Irenaeus

Matthew 15:29-39

Jesus went on from there and reached the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and he went up into the hills. He sat there, and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the

blind, the dumb and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel. But Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them off hungry, they might collapse on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a crowd?’ Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said ‘and a few small fish.’ Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and he gave thanks and broke them and handed them to the disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full. Now four thousand men had eaten, to say nothing of women and children. And when he had sent the crowds away he got into the boat and went to the district of Magadan.

CHRIST THE LORD Picture this scene. Jesus goes up on a mountainside – just as he did back in Chapter 5 at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Throngs of people gather around him. This time, however, instead of teaching in words, he teaches in actions. One by one, families bring forward their suffering members, full of anxious hope that he will heal them. And Jesus cures them all; he sets them free from the evil that had enslaved them, and they believe in him. It’s as if this particular group of people wouldn’t have understood the Sermon on the Mount; they understand only their suffering, and Jesus communicates the truth of God’s love by relieving that suffering.

St Matthew is presenting once again a contrast between the unbelieving Pharisees and the vibrant, powerful faith of the uneducated masses. What was the difference? These suffering crowds came to Jesus aware of their needs; the Pharisees came wanting only to discredit him. The more we acknowledge Christ as Lord, the more room we give him to work in our lives, the more we too will go away joyfully, giving glory to God.

CHRIST THE TEACHER Some commentators accuse Matthew of making a mistake by including this passage. They say that the similarities between it and the other multiplication scene in the previous chapter show that the event must have happened only once. They forget that Matthew was actually there. If it had happened only once, he would have included it only once. In fact, the differences between them make clear the importance of this second miracle of the loaves.

That the crowds responded to Christ’s healing miracles by praising “the God of Israel” is the first clue. That the town of Magadan is mentioned only in this passage, and still today is unidentifiable by scholars, is the second. We also note that Jesus had just encountered a Canaanite woman in the district of Tyre and Sidon, and in the next chapter he will be making his way to Caesarea Philippi – two Gentile regions bordering Jewish provinces. It seems safe to say that this second multiplication, then, was performed for the benefit of the Gentiles. Jesus’ condescension to cure the Canaanite woman’s daughter is extended here to other non-Jews. The prefiguring of the Eucharist is now given to them as well, providing a glimpse of the sacrament that will some day unite the entire human family around one altar. Even the seven leftover baskets have this connotation. The previous episode had

twelve leftover baskets, signifying the twelve Tribes of Israel. Now there are seven – the number of completion and ending, the number of times the Gentile army commander, Naaman the Syrian, had to wash in the Jordan River to be cured of his leprosy (cf. 2 Kings 5). St Matthew wants to drive the lesson home: the love of Christ doesn’t play favorites.

CHRIST THE FRIEND When we hear Jesus tell his disciples that his heart goes out to the crowd, not wanting to send them away hungry lest they faint along their journey, we should hear him speaking those words to us. We are the hungry, poor, needy crowd. Jesus reaches out to us with his truth and love and wisdom, feeding our souls through the ministry of the Church. The Church is the incontrovertible sign of his continued concern for each one of us. It has no other purpose than to give us the strength and guidance we so desperately need to make it safely through this journey on earth to our eternal home in heaven.

But he is also speaking to us in the way he spoke to his disciples. He tells us to look out at the crowds, to open our eyes and our hearts to those around us, and to share with them what he has given to us. We are not, in his eyes, merely objects of his beneficence; we are his companions, collaborators, ambassadors, and friends.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE I am so used to this miracle, but it must have amazed the disciples and the crowds. You fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish. Take my loaves and fish; take my talents and hopes. Do miracles with them, Lord. Turn my life into a garden blooming with your own virtues and goodness...

You never get tired of giving yourself to others. Yet I get tired so easily. I need your strength. I know you will never fail me; I just have to decide once again to follow you, today. The cross looks heavy from afar, but if I pick it up, if I deny myself and live for others, it will be light and easy, because I won’t be carrying it alone. Who do you want me to give myself to today, Lord? Thy will be done...

I’m thinking about the Eucharist. You are present in tabernacles all over the world. You are feeding immense crowds with your body and blood, the bread of eternal life, on every continent, on little islands, in tiny villages, and in the largest cities. You are bringing the whole human family together in your heart. Thank you for this great gift. Increase my faith.With the humility of your heart, shape my heart...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck me most about this passage? What did I notice that I hadn’t noticed before?

2. Why do you think Jesus chose bread and wine to transform into the Eucharist, instead of something else?

3. The crowds reacted with wonder and amazement at Jesus’ miracles. Why don’t we typically react that way to the miracles of the Eucharist and confession?

4. What amazing deeds of Christ have I witnessed in my lifetime?

5. Who are the needy crowds around us today, and how can we better bring them Christ’s saving grace?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1397 on the Eucharist and the poor; 1212, 1275, and 1436 on the Eucharist as spiritual food; 1323 and 1394-1395 on the Eucharist as the sacrament of charity; 1935-1938 on the unity of the human race

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Thursday of the First Week of Advent

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120425.cfm

21. WISE SURVIVORS (MT 7:15-29)

“The hope of truth and of freedom is already ours, dearly beloved, but if we are to attain truth and freedom in reality we must endure and persevere.”

- St Cyprian

Matthew 7:15-29

‘Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.

‘It is not those who say to me, Lord, Lord, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name? Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!

‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’ Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people because he taught them with authority and not like their own scribes.

CHRIST THE LORD God wants us to have the life we truly long for, one full of meaning and fulfillment. Indeed, God was the one who planted the desire for happiness in our hearts in the first place: it’s like a homing device that, no matter how many wrong turns we take along the way, keeps drawing us back to him, because only a vital and personal relationship with him will satisfy that indelible yearning. In Christ, God came among us to take each of

us by the hand and lead us into that relationship, meaning, and fulfillment. On every page of the Gospels, this divine Savior is given to us.

In this particular passage, Jesus is just completing the Sermon on the Mount – St Matthew’s summary of all his teaching – and here he explains how that teaching should be received. Are the words of Jesus just like any other? Did he consider himself one rabbi among many? Hardly. Christ claims yet again that his teachings point out the sure path to eternal life, that they are the door to the Kingdom of heaven, and that they communicate perfectly the will of his Father, the will of God himself. Those who follow his teachings will stand firm forever and never collapse. Jesus was either a megalomaniac or the incarnate Son of God. He certainly did not see himself as just another great religious teacher or a particularly wise philosopher – it was either follow him or collapse and be completely ruined. This is worth reflecting on again and again. He leaves no doubt here about the authority he claims, the identity he asserts: Christ is the Lord.

CHRIST THE TEACHER Christ teaches about his hopes for our lives. He wants us to enter the Kingdom of heaven. He wants us to stand strong when the gales of this world swirl around our fragile lives. He wants us to “have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10) – this is the sole reason he came.

He gives two stern warnings in this passage. The first is to beware of false prophets, leaders, or teachers who claim to guide you to the rich pastures of truth, but in fact only want to manipulate you for their own vanity or greed, heedless of the damage they cause. Christ wouldn’t issue the warning unless it was a real possibility. We can be deceived. We can be led astray. We can err – all the most destructive heretics started out as zealous, faithful members of the Church and ended up sowing division and destruction in their own souls and among their followers.

The secret to staying on track is to look for the evident fruit. This doesn’t consist in dramatic or impressive signs and miracles – these don’t necessarily indicate the presence of Christ. Rather, the authentic Christian teacher and follower is the one who stays firmly attached to the one foundation even through the most terrible of storms. Those who cling to Peter, Christ’s chosen Vicar on earth, the solid foundation, the “rock on whom I will build my Church” (Mt 16:18), show by their good fruit of persevering fidelity – of real virtue, not dramatic demonstrations – that they are good, dependable shepherds, not wolves in sheep’s clothing.

The second warning – that not all who say “Lord, Lord” will be saved, but only those who obey God’s will – shocks us. Is this not the God of compassion and mercy? And yet on his lips we hear, “Depart from me you evildoers.” Imagine his eyes as he gave this warning. He gazed at his listeners, who were hanging on every syllable; his eyes were full of eager determination, piercing the very depths of their souls with his fierce love, passionately hoping that they – that we – will be wise; he was hoping that his followers would learn to measure their discipleship not by feelings, not by other people’s opinions, not by their achievements, but by authentic virtue, by obedience to God’s will as manifest in the TenCommandments, the teaching of the Church, and their consciences. He is still hoping for

that, longing for his words to find fertile soil in our fickle hearts: “Let him who has ears to hear, hear!”

CHRIST THE FRIEND There are only two requirements for friendship with Christ: to listen with faith and to act accordingly. We are to listen to Christ, the Savior, the only one “who has words of eternal life” (John 6:68). And we are to heed what we hear, to act according to the word of God. This is the New Covenant: “If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love” (John 15:10). That we remain in his love is Christ’s burning desire, but whether such remaining actually happens is up to us.

Jesus: Remain in my love, and your house will be firmly rooted in the rock of the Church. Remain in me through prayer, remain in me through the sacraments, remain in me through fidelity to my Father’s will. I do not promise an easy life, with perfect weather and tasks that are always pleasing. I promise that storms and struggles will batter the foundations of your faith; they are part of my plan. Never turn from me – remain in my Church – remain in my love. And let me remain in you.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Only you have the authority to teach with absolute certainty, and to demand absolute acceptance and loyalty, because you are God. You have shared this authority with your Church – or rather, you exercise it through your Church. Thank you for caring enough about me to come and teach me the truth. And thank you for the gift of faith.Lord, don’t let me squander either of these great gifts...

I tend to be impressed by showy things, but your standard goes straight to the heart. You are interested in virtue. This is how you lived as well. By normal standards, your life ended in a failure, but the truth is just the opposite! Greatness is in fidelity, Lord, in persevering love. Change my mind, so I too make that the standard of greatness in all I think and do...

Those around me (family members, coworkers, teachers, friends, teammates) should easily be able to tell by my everyday actions (not just by my words and my church attendance) that friendship with you is my highest priority. Can they? What do you want me to change, Lord? Help me to grow closer to you every day so I can be your faithful ambassador...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. It is not always easy to accept or understand the claims of Christ and his Church to be the one true vehicle of salvation for all people. What is a healthy reaction when a difficulty pops up in one’s own life, or in conversations with others? What is an unhealthy reaction?

3. Christ is more interested in us doing “the will of my Father in heaven” than he is in our keeping up the right appearances (simply saying “Lord, Lord”). What is the Father’s will?

4. Why does obedience to God matter more than eloquent words and even great achievements made outside of obedience?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church 430-460 on the person and mission of Jesus Christ; 1691-1698 on life in Christ; 2558 on Christianity as a “vital and personal relationship” with God; 144-149 on the obedience of faith

Friday, December 5, 2025

Friday of the First Week of Advent

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120525.cfm

29. BELIEVING LEADS TO SEEING (MT 9:27-35)

“Therefore, that shining light of which has been lit for our salvation must always shine in us.”
- St Chromatius

Matthew 9:27-35

As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David’. And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do’. Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you’. And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this’. But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside. They had only just left when a man was brought to him, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils’. Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.

CHRIST THE LORD With this passage, St Matthew finishes his narration of ten miracles performed in the aftermath of the Sermon on the Mount, in confirmation of the trustworthiness of what was said in that sermon, as it were. These last two miracles mark the final flourish on this section of the Gospel, showing that nothing, absolutely nothing, is excluded from Christ’s saving mission.

Jesus doesn’t come to rescue bits and pieces of broken humanity; he comes to gather it all into a new, everlasting Kingdom. His redemption actually brings good out of evil. If evil – whether on a grand scale of human history or on the smaller scale of individual human lives – were able to damage our humanity beyond the possibility of restoration, we would have no reason to hope. Jesus, however, shows that God’s loving goodness is far superior to evil. Those who let him into their lives discover not only forgiveness, security, and relief,

but a profound renewal that gradually extends to every corner of their being. The Lord is Savior, but he is also Redeemer.

CHRIST THE TEACHER Jesus works in our lives according to a plan. He knows what he is doing, just as he knew what he was doing during the days of his public life.

He orders the two blind men to keep the miracle under wraps. This is a frequent injunction, especially in the Gospel of Mark. He knew that the Israelites’ hearts had been hardened and confused through the centuries, so he was gradually revealing his full identity and the full extent of his mission. He wanted time to train his closest disciples, and he wanted freedom of action – all of which could be compromised if news of his miracles sparked precipitous action from the authorities or spawned too quickly a suffocating wave of wonder-loving crowds. Although his heart couldn’t resist the desperate, faith-filled appeals of the suffering people he came to save, he was nevertheless following a clear strategy.

Just so, he works in our lives intelligently, gradually, strategically. But we can’t see the whole plan – it’s too big and bright for our mortal gaze. And so we have to learn to simply travel along by his side like the disciples, listening, obeying, and trusting, carrying out one piece of the plan at a time.

CHRIST THE FRIEND The Pharisees were unbelieving. They didn’t want to believe in a Messiah that didn’t fit their preconceived ideas, so they found ways to justify their resistance – if Jesus drives out demons, he must be possessed by a stronger demon, that’s all. Imagine how Christ’s heart reacted to those accusations, such stubborn resistance to his grace. Imagine how he reacts to the disbelief of so many people who refuse to see the signs of his love and truth in our world today.

When a friend is in pain, you do whatever you can to comfort him. Christians can comfort Christ by keeping their own faith fresh and, above all, by living a real, practical, and universal Christian charity. That’s the only way to lay a successful siege against the world’s many barricaded hearts – breaching their walls with love, so the gift of faith can come streaming in.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE You have let me see some miracles, Lord. You have given me experiences that can have no other explanation than yourself. Don’t let me forget them, Lord; let them nourish my faith. I believe in your saving power and your continued presence. Thank you for the amazing things you have done in my life. Pray for me, Holy Mother of God, that I may be made worthy of the love of Christ...

Lord, there are people in my life who are blind, who are mute, who are trapped in the darkness of sin. Jesus, I pray for them now. Free them, enlighten them, as you have done with me. Free me, too; keep enlightening me. I want to comfort you, Lord, with my faith and charity. Teach me to bear the torch of your love. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you...

These two blind men prayed so simply, so faithfully, and so directly! “Son of David, take pity on us!” Lord, have pity on me. You know my misery and my blindness. I believe that you can heal me. I believe that you can make me into a saint. You can do all things, Lord...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in the passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. Why do you think Jesus questioned the two blind men before healing them?

3. Some critics of the Bible claim that the demon possessions narrated in the Gospels were just natural diseases that people in ancient times didn’t know how to diagnose. Can you find any evidence in this passage against such a view? Can you think of any reasons why demon possession might be manifested in symptoms similar to natural or psychological disorders?

4. Think of some people you know who don’t believe in God or Christ. Why don’t they believe? What single thing would do most to help them believe?

Cf. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 897-913 on how Catholics should spread the faith; 2118-212 on different forms of disbelief

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Saturday of the First Week of Advent

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120625.cfm

30. THE CHURCH GETS GOING (MT 9:36 – 10:8)

“The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ has done so from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God.”

- Pope St Clement of Rome

Matthew 9:36-10:8

And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich

but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’. He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

CHRIST THE LORD Jesus Christ is a man for others. His heart was moved by the needs of those around him. His heart is moved by our need for him. The whole project of his life, from Bethlehem to Calvary, consisted in winning back for us what we had lost by sin: hope, eternal life, meaning, friendship with God, lasting joy, enduring peace. All he wants is to reap a harvest of souls for his Father’s house. His teaching shows us the way; his miracles convince us of this teaching; his suffering, death, and resurrection plant the new Tree of Life, whose fruit we receive in the Eucharist. Not one word, not one deed, not one thought of Christ’s earthly journey was for himself: he lived to please his Father (cf. John 8:29) and to “save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Even at the peak of his atrocious suffering, as he hung writhing with excruciating pain on the cross, his lifeblood trickling away, his heart did not turn in on himself, but continued to love others – even his own crucifiers: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). What more could he have done for us? What greater love could he have shown? What more glorious Lord could we serve? We can serve him in no better way than by sharing his concern for the “sheep without a shepherd.”

CHRIST THE TEACHER Jesus Christ always works according to objectives. Oftentimes we think that our faith and our relationship with God in his Church do not require us to use our heads. When we want to build a business, engage in research, or achieve any success in earthly matters, we put our minds to work and come up with a strategy. We set goals; we troubleshoot and problem solve and multitask and evaluate and report; we often get very demanding with ourselves and our coworkers. But when it comes to building up the Kingdom of Christ in our hearts and in those around us, we leave it up to feelings, impressions, and vague, so-called inspirations. Christ didn’t. He sends his missionaries to accomplish a particular goal: preaching and healing in the Jewish towns first (not the pagan ones), knowing that he must guide the growth of his Church by logical stages. He formed his team of Twelve Apostles, painstakingly prepared them, and commissioned and equipped them to carry the Gospel throughout the world...He had a vision, he had clear idea of where he was going, and he made a specific plan. He would have been a great CEO.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus Christ is a team player. As God, he could have chosen to fulfill the mission of salvation all alone, to come to earth and stay here bodily forever, continuing his Galilean-style ministry for all time, until he had made his way to all the peoples throughout the world. And yet, he chose not to. Rather, when his heart was moved he

summoned his Twelve Apostles and began preparations for establishing his Church, which would be the extension of his incarnation and mission throughout all ages and in every land. Christ chose to administer his salvation through the cooperation of missionaries, of disciples, of men and women who would roll up their sleeves and bring in the abundant harvest. He chose to involve the very sinners he came to save in the project of their salvation, and in that way to give meaning and purpose to their lives. He asks us now to contemplate the injured world around us and respond generously by working with him to bring life to all.

Philip: I was scared when Jesus sent me out. I have to admit that I don’t think I would have gone if he had sent me alone. When he gave us these instructions and sent us as his ambassadors for the first time, the look in his eyes was, well, hard to describe. It flashed with a conqueror’s fire, but it also glowed with a tinge of sadness, as if he were pleading with us, as if he were afraid we would start making excuses. I was afraid to go, but some of his fire stirred me, and I wanted to show him that I was on his side. And soon after we set out, all my fears vanished, because we saw right away that his own Spirit was with us.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Jesus, I am your disciple, but I am a weak and needy one. In my weakness, your strength can shine through. Teach me to depend on you; make my heart like yours: compassionate, concerned, courageous. Help me to see the needs of those around me and not be blinded by my selfishness. You have given me so much; help me to share it all with those around me...

You are all-powerful, Lord, and all-wise. In your wisdom and power, you founded your Church on Peter and the other Apostles. Its endurance and growth and fruitfulness through the ages, in spite of unremitting persecution from within and without, prove your constant presence within it. Thank you for the Church. Protect your Church. Use my life for the good of your Church. Continue to call men and women to serve your Church. We are one body in Christ; blest be the name of the Lord!....

I remember when I first heard your voice in my heart. I knew you were speaking to me, calling to me, inviting me. Thank you for looking into my eyes and speaking my name. Thank you for giving my life a purpose. Thank you for giving me a mission, for sharing your mission with me. I want to be your faithful follower until the day I die. Your Kingdom come...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in the passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. What does this passage teach us about the origin and mission of the Church?

3. What does Jesus mean when he says “the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few”? Why are there so few laborers? Why does God want us to pray for more vocations? Why doesn’t he just give them automatically?

4. What are the greatest needs right now in our local Church? What more can we do to help meet those needs?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1, 737-740 on the essential role of the Church in the plan of salvation; 620 on God’s love for us; 606-618 on Jesus’ self-offering out of love for us