Listening To God through His Messengers

Friday of the Second Week of Advent

December 10, 2021

Readings: Please click here to read full text.
    Reading I: Is 48:17-19
    Responsorial Psalm: Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
    Gospel: Mt 11:16-19

Our Gospel reading today is a continuation of the Gospel reading from yesterday about John the Baptist. He ended by saying, "Whoever has ears ought to hear" (Mt. 11:15).

By listening to those whom God sends, we are listening to God Himself. Today, Jesus rebuked the crowd for not listening to Him. He likened them to children in market places who whined at their playmates, "we played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn."  The other group did not listen to the other.  Their game was no fun at all.

Thus, when John came fasting, the people said, He is possessed by a demon.’  When the Son of Man came feasting, the people said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’  No matter what they did, people always opposed them. 

Today, there are people who always criticize everything we do. Like the religious leaders of Israel who see nothing good in Jesus, we too may sometimes fall into this temptation. If we always see something bad in people or situations, we may find ourselves closing our ears to God Himself, who speaks to us through His messengers and through the events of our lives.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: istockphoto.com

Not One be Lost

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

December 7, 2021

Readings: Please click here to read full text.
    Reading I: Is 40:1-11
    Responsorial Psalm: Ps 96:1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12, 13
    Gospel: Mt 18:12-14

The fundamental role of a shepherd is to ensure the safety and well-being of the flock. Some flocks can have up to 1,000 sheep in them. The shepherd pastures the sheep while keeping watch for dangerous plants and predator animals and guiding them to places with rich feed while watching them lest they wander away. It is the shepherd’s responsibility to see that every sheep is accounted for and that no sheep is lost. When the sheep have consumed all of the available grass in a certain region, the shepherd relocates the flock to another richer pasture. 

Jesus made use of this common understanding of a shepherd’s responsibilities to teach the people about God. As a shepherd keeps an eye on each sheep, protects them from every danger, and makes sure that they are well fed, so does God. If one is lost, the shepherd goes out to find it, and so does God. Jesus made it clear that "it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost" (Mt. 19:14). This is why the Father sent His Son, Jesus, to bring all His people to Himself. Jesus even said about Himself: "I am the Good Shepherd" (Jn 10:11). 

This season of advent reminds us that we do not become like predator animals that lead people away from God and that we who are lost let ourselves be found by the Good Shepherd, who never ever stops searching for us.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: pinterest.ph