A Guiding Light
Dec. 16: Monday of the Third Week of Advent
We’ve got a busy week ahead of us at the Price household. Today is Amelia’s birthday, and her aunt and cousin have come all the way from Michigan to celebrate. We’ll be going to Disneyland next week, so there’s a decent chance I may miss a few reflections. But don’t think it’s because I forgot! It’s probably because we’re stuck on It’s a Small World.
Speaking of not forgetting, please remember to pray for Amelia’s Christmas novena.
Reading I
Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a
When Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him, and he gave voice to his oracle:
The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of a man whose eye is true, The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured, and with eyes unveiled: How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel! They are like gardens beside a stream, like the cedars planted by the LORD. His wells shall yield free-flowing waters, he shall have the sea within reach; His king shall rise higher, and his royalty shall be exalted.
Then Balaam gave voice to his oracle: The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true, The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured, and with eyes unveiled. I see him, though not now; I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel.
King Balak of Moab had hired Balaam to prophesize doom for the Israelites. Balaam was smart, though—he only promised to relay what God told him.1 The result is this passage, where Balaam gives Balak the bad news—Israel is going to be fine.
And does a star leading the way sound familiar? Don’t worry, early Christians thought so, too.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9
R. (4) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Like the magi were led by a star, we have to be open to following the teachings God gives us. It’s not always easy, but the context of this Psalm makes its necessity even more apparent. This is a Psalm of lament, sung after defeat in battle. The people only called out to God when they lost. We have to learn to follow His teachings before disaster strikes.
Alleluia
Ps 85:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, LORD, your love,
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
All we can do is ask God for help. As a loving Father, He will grant it.
Gospel
Mt 21:23-27
When Jesus had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus said to them in reply, “I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”
They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
You can often tell when someone’s arguing in bad faith, if they refuse to answer a simple, straightforward question. They simply pretend they don’t know the answer, when they know that answer will ruin their argument.
We have to learn from the Pharisees’ counter-example. We have to trust in Jesus’ authority, and let His light guide us.