Mass Reflection: Sunday - 14th December 2025

 

IS 35:1-6A, 10; PS146:6-10; JAS 5:7-10; MT 11:2-11

Good news, Christian stewards — we are gaining ground on our Advent mountain climb, and it is time to take a moment to rejoice in the Good News that our Savior will come again in triumph one day. Today’s readings on this Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday are filled with reminders of God’s final victory over suffering and injustice, and encouragement to remain steadfast in our mission to live as faith-filled disciples.

Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah seems to shout out good cheer as he paints a picture of what the long-awaited Savior will usher in: “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag…the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the Lord has ransomed [that’s us!] will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.”

Such a day almost seems too good to be true, especially when we look around at the dire circumstances we face in our world at present. But by faith, we know this day is coming. Lest we grow weary as we await the glorious day of Christ’s return, St. James, in our second reading, offers wise counsel. “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.” “Make your hearts firm….Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.”

This is excellent advice for us Christian stewards as we face the challenges of everyday life in our broken world, especially in the hectic days that precede Christmas when stress can make us and those around us less than our best selves. St. James reminds us that we can choose our response to both the great strains and the minor annoyances of life.

In other words, we can be good stewards of our attitude, “making our hearts firm” by practicing patience with others and refusing to give in to the temptation to complain. We can choose to see and rejoice in God’s presence with us, no matter the circumstances surrounding us.

Our Gospel passage, from Matthew, connects the prophecy of Isaiah to the arrival of Jesus, almost word for word. In this passage, we find the imprisoned John the Baptist sending his disciples to ask Jesus if he is indeed the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus’ reply is almost identical to Isaiah’s prophetic words. He says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised…” The Savior really has arrived just as promised! Yet that arrival was 700 years after Isaiah’s prediction. God always fulfills his promises, but patience and firmness of heart are required as we await his perfect timing.

As John’s disciples go off to report this wonderful news, Jesus has high praise for John. “Among those born of women, there has been none greater.” Yet, Jesus adds, “The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Honorable as it was for John the Baptist to serve as the one who would announce the Savior’s arrival, it is a much greater privilege to attain membership in His kingdom.

Let us rejoice in the knowledge that God has called us to enter this kingdom. Let us keep our hearts firmly fixed on this eternal goal and strive with all our might to give God and others the very best of ourselves in gratitude for such a privilege.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 14th December 2025

 

First reading
Isaiah 35:1-6,10
God himself is coming to save you

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,
let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,
let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,
let it rejoice and sing for joy.

The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it,
the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they shall see the glory of the Lord,
the splendour of our God.

Strengthen all weary hands,
steady all trembling knees
and say to all faint hearts,
‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

‘Look, your God is coming,
vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God;
he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy
for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.

They will come to Zion shouting for joy,
everlasting joy on their faces;
joy and gladness will go with them
and sorrow and lament be ended.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):6-10

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
    who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
    the Lord, who sets prisoners free,

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
    who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
    and upholds the widow and orphan.

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who loves the just
    but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
    Zion’s God, from age to age.

Come, Lord, and save us.

________

Second reading
James 5:7-10
Do not lose heart; the Lord's coming will be soon

    Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Is61:1(Lk4:18)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 11:2-11
'A greater than John the Baptist has never been seen'

    John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

    As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:

    ‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;
he will prepare your way before you.

    ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 15th December 2024

First reading
Zephaniah 3:14-18
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst

Shout for joy, daughter of Zion,
Israel, shout aloud!
Rejoice, exult with all your heart,
daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has repealed your sentence;
he has driven your enemies away.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;
you have no more evil to fear.

When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:
Zion, have no fear,
do not let your hands fall limp.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a victorious warrior.
He will exult with joy over you,
he will renew you by his love;
he will dance with shouts of joy for you
as on a day of festival.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Isaiah 12
The rejoicing of a redeemed people

Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Truly, God is my salvation,
    I trust, I shall not fear.
For the Lord is my strength, my song,
    he became my saviour.
With joy you will draw water
    from the wells of salvation.

Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name!
    Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples!
    Declare the greatness of his name.

Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Sing a psalm to the Lord
    for he has done glorious deeds;
    make them known to all the earth!
People of Zion, sing and shout for joy,
    for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

________

Second reading
Philippians 4:4-7
The Lord is very near

    I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near.

    There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Is61:1(Lk4:18)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 3:10-18
'Someone is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire'

    When all the people asked John, ‘What must we do?’ he answered, ‘If anyone has two tunics he must share with the man who has none, and the one with something to eat must do the same.’ There were tax collectors too who came for baptism, and these said to him, ‘Master, what must we do?’ He said to them, ‘Exact no more than your rate.’ Some soldiers asked him in their turn, ‘What about us? What must we do?’ He said to them, ‘No intimidation! No extortion! Be content with your pay!’

    A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, ‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.’ As well as this, there were many other things he said to exhort the people and to announce the Good News to them.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 15th December 2024

 

ZEP 3:14-18A; IS 12:2-6; PHIL 4:4-7; LK3:10-18


“Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again: rejoice!”

We have arrived at Gaudete Sunday (Gaudete is the Latin word for “rejoice”) this Third Week of Advent, and the Scriptures take on a joyful tone as we continue our preparations for the feast of our Savior’s birth and ultimately for His Second Coming.

Our First Reading, from Zephaniah, certainly gives us cause to rejoice. “Fear not… be not discouraged! The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior.” Even more cause for joy, this Savior delights in us — “He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love, He will sing joyfully because of you.” How can we not be moved by a God who pursues us, who comes to us as Savior, and who actually sings for joy over us!

Our Second Reading gives still more cause for joy as St. Paul reminds us, “The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all.” Then he gives us a prescription for maintaining this peace: “In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Paul’s instructions for obtaining peace come as an early Christmas gift. They remind us that we can and should go to God with all our needs and present them to Him along with our thanks. This guidance calls to mind a vital aspect of a stewardship way of life: gratitude to God in response to His great love and countless gifts to us.

The Gospel passage, from Luke, shows us how to live out this sense of thankfulness, making our lives a “Christmas gift” to Christ in joyful response to His love for us. When the crowds hear John the Baptist’s message that their Savior is coming, they ask him what they should do to prepare. He responds, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do the same.” He tells tax collectors to stop collecting more than is prescribed and soldiers, to be satisfied with their wages. In other words, he tells them to be good and generous stewards of all God’s gifts to them!

As the great feast of Christmas draws near, let us rejoice in Christ’s extravagant love. Let’s avail ourselves of the peace He longs to give us. And let’s look carefully at our lives to make sure we are indeed making of them a gift fitting for Him. When we get this “gift” right, all the other gifts and to-do’s on our Christmas list will fall into their proper place.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 17th December 2023

First reading
Isaiah 61:1-2,10-11
He has sent me to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for the Lord has anointed me.

He has sent me to bring good news to the poor,

to bind up hearts that are broken;

to proclaim liberty to captives,
freedom to those in prison;
to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord.

‘I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation,
he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity,
like a bridegroom wearing his wreath,
like a bride adorned in her jewels.

‘For as the earth makes fresh things grow,
as a garden makes seeds spring up,
so will the Lord make both integrity and praise
spring up in the sight of the nations.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Luke 1:46-50,53-54

My soul rejoices in my God.

My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her nothingness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

My soul rejoices in my God.

The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.

My soul rejoices in my God.

He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy.

My soul rejoices in my God.

________

Second reading
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
May you all be kept safe for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

    Be happy at all times; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus.

    Never try to suppress the Spirit or treat the gift of prophecy with contempt; think before you do anything – hold on to what is good and avoid every form of evil.

    May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Is61:1(Lk4:18)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 1:6-8,19-28
'There stands among you the one coming after me'

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness:
Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 17th December 2023

IS 61:1-2A, 10-11; LK 1:46-50, 53-54; 1 THES 5:16-24; JN 1:6-8, 19-28

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” is a Latin word, meaning “rejoice.” The Christian steward should be characterized by a spirit of rejoicing. The more we embrace the stewardship way of life, the more we will be filled with joy. 
 
Today as Advent begins to draw to a close and Christmas approaches, we should ask ourselves who and what we rejoice in.
 
Our First Reading, from Isaiah, expresses a fitting motto for the Christian steward. “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul.” It is God Who is the source of our joy and contentment — not things or achievements or comfort, but our relationship with God. This is why stewards can share so freely of their time, talents, and material possessions — because ultimately we are not attached to these things. We recognize them as good gifts from our loving Father, but we are attached to the Giver of the gifts, not the gifts themselves. This allows for great freedom in life and the capacity for great joy in the Lord.
 
This freedom in the Lord is also the reason we can do as St. Paul instructs in his letter to the Thessalonians, in today's Second Reading. He tells us to, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God.” As Christian stewards, we know that no matter what the ups and downs of life bring, our life is not our own — it is a gift from the Lord, and we can rest in full confidence that He will take care of us. When we offer every aspect of our life back to Him in grateful trust, every action we take, no matter how small, becomes a prayer. Our very lives become a testimony to the goodness of God.
 
We can become like John the Baptist, in today's Gospel passage from the Book of John. We read this description of the prophet: “A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light... He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.” This is our calling, too, to testify to the Light, our wonderful Savior by the way we make use of the time, talent, and treasure He has entrusted to our care. Our actions and our priorities themselves give testimony to all that God has done in our lives. What a privilege! 
 
When God Himself is the source of our joy, it cannot be taken away from us. There is still time, this Advent season, to clear away any “clutter” in our lives that may take our focus away from Him. Let us strive to detach from any of these things so that we can be free to truly rejoice in God on Christmas Day.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 11th December 2022

First reading
Isaiah 35:1-6,10
God himself is coming to save you

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,
let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,
let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,
let it rejoice and sing for joy.

The glory of  Lebanon is bestowed on it,
the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they shall see the glory of the Lord,
the splendour of our God.

Strengthen all weary hands,
steady all trembling knees
and say to all faint hearts,
‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

‘Look, your God is coming,
vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God;
he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy
for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.

They will come to Zion shouting for joy,
everlasting joy on their faces;
joy and gladness will go with them
and sorrow and lament be ended.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):6-10

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
    who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
    the Lord, who sets prisoners free,

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
    who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
    and upholds the widow and orphan.

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who loves the just
    but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
    Zion’s God, from age to age.

Come, Lord, and save us.

________

Second reading
James 5:7-10
Do not lose heart; the Lord's coming will be soon

    Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Is61:1(Lk4:18)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 11:2-11
'A greater than John the Baptist has never been seen'

    John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

    As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:

‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;
he will prepare your way before you.

    ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 11th December 2022

IS 35:1-6A, 10; PS146:6-10; JAS 5:7-10; MT 11:2-11

Good news, Christian stewards — we are gaining ground on our Advent mountain climb and it is time to take a moment to rejoice in the Good News that our Savior will come again in triumph one day. Today’s readings on this Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday are filled with reminders of God’s final victory over suffering and injustice, and encouragement to remain steadfast in our mission to live as faith-filled disciples.

Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah seems to shout out good cheer as he paints a picture of what the long-awaited Savior will usher in: “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag…the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the Lord has ransomed [that’s us!] will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.” 

Such a day almost seems too good to be true, especially when we look around at the dire circumstances we face in our world at present. But by faith, we know this day is coming. Lest we grow weary as we await the glorious day of Christ’s return, St. James, in our second reading, offers wise counsel. “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord... Make your hearts firm… Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.”

This is excellent advice for us Christian stewards as we face the challenges of everyday life in our broken world, especially in the hectic days that precede Christmas when stress can make us and those around us less than our best selves. St. James reminds us that we can choose our response to both the great strains and the minor annoyances of life. 

In other words, we can be good stewards of our attitude, “making our hearts firm” by practicing patience with others and refusing to give in to the temptation to complain. We can choose to see and rejoice in God’s presence with us, no matter the circumstances surrounding us.

Our Gospel passage, from Matthew, connects the prophecy of Isaiah to the arrival of Jesus, almost word for word. In this passage we find the imprisoned John the Baptist sending his disciples to ask Jesus if he is indeed the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus’ re-ply is almost identical to  Isaiah’s prophetic words. He says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised…” The Savior really has arrived just as promised! Yet that arrival was 700 years after Isaiah’s prediction. God always fulfills his promises, but patience and firmness of heart are required as we await his perfect timing.

As John’s disciples go off to report this wonderful news, Jesus has high praise for John. “Among those born of women, there has been none greater.” Yet, Jesus adds, “The  least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”  Honorable as it was for John the Baptist to serve as the one who would announce the Savior’s arrival, it is a much greater privilege to attain membership in His kingdom. 

Let us rejoice in the knowledge that God has called us to enter this kingdom. Let us keep our hearts firmly fixed on this eternal goal and strive with all our might to give God and others the very best of ourselves in gratitude for such a privilege.