1st Week of Advent
04th December 2023 (Monday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning–hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R. see 1)
R/. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Come to save us, Lord our God, let your face shine on us, and we shall be saved.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 8:5-11
At that time: When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go’, and he goes, and to another, ‘Come’, and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marvelled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: True faith wins God’s favour!
Guidlines: Faith is no one’s privilege or prerogative. Faith is a matter of attitude and approach. What I think of my God and how I approach Him in trust and humility is the matter{alertSuccess}
1. Jesus praises a centurion in the gospel for his faith, saying, “With no one in Israel have I found such faith”. Thereby, the first point very clear is faith is not a matter of hereditary credit, not a matter of long-standing tradition.
2. Certainly the people of Israel were the chosen people by God. But that is no compulsivity or guarantee for receiving God’s grace. God may give His grace gratuitously but its reception depends on one’s receptivity and proper disposition.
3. Faith is humble receptivity and conducive disposition. The centurion, even though a non-Israel had such faith and humility. If not for his faith in Jesus’ power as well as benevolence, he would not approach Jesus for healing his paralyzed servant! If not for his faith, he would not say to Jesus not to trouble himself to come physically but is enough that he says a word of healing even over distance!
4. If not for his utter humility, he would not humble himself before Jesus. He was fully conscious that he was a man in authority but his authority was inferior to Jesus’ authority. He professes so touchingly, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter my roof”.
5. It is the light of faith that makes him see and accept the surpassing greatness of Jesus’ authority, its superior quality. His authority over his servants is human, legal and earthly. It is something secular.
6. But Jesus’ authority is spiritual. It comes from above, it is divine. Thereby, Jesus has authority even over sicknesses and evil powers; and with the power of his mere command even at distance, he would heal the paralysis.
7. This is what exactly Isaiah prophesied in the first reading regarding Jerusalem as the house of God and the messianic times. All the nations shall flow to it, all peoples shall come to the God of Israel.
8. For, He teaches them His ways and makes them walk in His paths. He judges between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
9. This is what exactly happens in the gospel. The pagan centurion comes to Jesus. He learns and walks God’s path of faith and humility. Jesus settles the matter for him through healing.
Practice: Let us not only appreciate the faith and humility of the centurion. Let us also emulate his example. Let us realize that we receive God’s favours not because we deserve them but only because God loves us and knows that we need them{alertSuccess}