Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
The Poor and Sinners
Liturgical Cycle: B | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
God had spoken continually to his people in words and deeds, yet they did not listen. But among them a remnant of poor people will return to God. With them, all the pagan, sinful nations will come to serve God. Sinners who recognize their poverty are perhaps more open to God than those who boast of being righteous. Through their faithfulness and zeal, all the people, even outsiders, are inspired and become better.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you are close to the poor and the repentant.
Do not allow us to be proud
or to trust in ourselves,
but teach us to be humble and lowly,
that we may recognize our limitations
and be open to you and to your coming
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
First Reading
Judgment of Jerusalem
Woe to the rebellious, the defiled, and the city that oppresses!
She did not listen to the call or accept correction; she did not trust the Lord, nor did she seek her God.
Restoration
At that time, I will give truthful lips to the pagan nations so they may all call on the name of the Lord and serve him with the same zeal.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, they will bring offerings to me.
On that day, you will no longer feel ashamed of all your actions when you were unfaithful to me; I will remove from your midst the prideful and arrogant, and my holy mountain will no longer be a reason for your boasting.
I will leave among you a humble and meek people who seek refuge in God.
The remnant of Israel will not act unjustly, nor will they speak lies, nor will deceitful words be found in their mouths. They will eat and rest, with no one to threaten them.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23
R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, O Lord, do not delay;
forgive the sins of your people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Parable of the Two Sons
Jesus continued, saying: “What do you think of this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said to him, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’”
And the son replied: ‘I don’t want to.’ But later, he reconsidered and went.
Then the father went to his other son and said the same thing to him. This son replied: ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go.
Which of the two did what the father wanted?”
They answered:
“The first.”
And Jesus said to them:
“Truly, I tell you: tax collectors and the prostitutes are ahead of you on the way to the kingdom of heaven.
For John came to show you the way of goodness, and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and the prostitutes did. You witnessed this, yet you neither repented nor believed him.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For the Church, that it may recognize more clearly that it is in constant need of reform so that its members can become more like Jesus, we pray: Lord, come and save us.
– For the poor among us, that we may share more with them what we have and treat them better as human persons, we pray: Lord, come and save us.
– That, aware of the poverty of our hearts, we may become less pretentious and more open to Christ, we pray: Lord, come and save us.
Prayer over the Gifts
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we ask you today to share with us
the bread of your Son,
the bread of the poor.
Let him come among us, stay with us
and accept in these humble signs
our sincere desire to do your will with him.
And when we fail to live up to our promise,
come again and forgive us,
for you are our strength
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Loving Father, we ask you again
before we return to our daily task:
Make us aware that we need your Son Jesus.
Keep us open to his coming,
that we may recognize him when he visits us
in the events of life,
in our neighbor who cries out for help
or who waits for a word of encouragement,
for he is our hope
now and for ever.
Blessing
Jesus will live among us if we are a people humble and lowly, who seek with Jesus the will of the Father. Perhaps then some who think they don't belong will join us. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32
All is Grace
Why does, in Jesus’ parables, a man always has two sons, and neither of them is perfect? Neither in the parable of the prodigal son nor in today’s parable do the sons come off as perfect. Perhaps that is the truth: there are no perfect sons or daughters in this side of life. A glance through the Scriptures is enough to convince us that none of the great patriarchs or prophets or kings or apostles is a paragon of virtues; in fact, many of them did terribly roguish things! It is here the words of Lord Illingworth, a character in Oscar Wilde’s 1893 play, A Woman of No Importance take on a deeper meaning: “The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” We are saved by God’s grace, not by our virtues. We just need to respond to this grace, as the younger son in the story does, the impulse for which also comes from grace.
Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022; written by Fr. Paulson Velyannoor, CMF