Saturday of the Third Week of Advent – December 20
Good News To The Poor
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
People and events are agents of salvation: heaven and earth cooperate, but ultimately it is God who saves through people. In the first reading, through the prophet, God addresses Cyrus the Great, who let the Jews return from exile. He was an instrument of God to bring liberation to the Jews. Thus, also pagans are called to salvation.
When he is asked by the disciples of John whether he was the expected Messiah or whether they had to wait for someone else, Jesus reminds them of what the prophets had foretold about the Messiah and to look at what Jesus was doing. He restored the sight of the blind, made the deaf hear, cured lepers and proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom to those poor in every way. Was that not a sufficient answer?
Opening Prayer
Lord, our God,
in your concern for people
you want all to be saved.
We pray that today,
we may be ready to receive
your justice and your peace,
and that in your hands,
we may be eager instruments
to share your integrity and love
with all those willing to listen.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God's eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord Jesus, if you are the one who has come among us, why are there so many people blind and deaf to your message? Open their eyes and ears, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, if you are alive among us, why are there so many lame and unclean with sins of hatred among us because we are slow in bringing justice? Heal us, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, if you are with us, why have we not shared with the poor and brought joy to them? Make us serving communities, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God, this bread and this wine
are signs that your Son comes among us
in this Eucharistic celebration.
May he also be present among us in daily life,
as he was present among the people of his time,
when we help those who suffer
and when we bring justice and freedom
to the poor and the oppressed.
Give us the strength to do this
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord, our God,
you promise us salvation
and we know that your word is irrevocable.
To you, a promise is the beginning of its fulfillment.
God, send Jesus among us now today,
for he is the one to come
and we have not to wait for anyone else.
May people see that he is here
when there is faithfulness and justice among us
and when we speak words of peace.
We ask you this through him who is our Lord.
Blessing
Can we say that we are Christian communities in whom Christ lives if there are still many poor and neglected people among us, people who suffer, victims of injustice and discrimination? May God change you and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION
Luke 1:26-38
O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
Imagine how shocked and incredulous you will be if your daughter, or sister, or girlfriend comes to you and tells you that she is pregnant though she had not relations with any man but because an angel announced it to her! Joseph too, and probably, even Joachim and Anne, felt the same. But as we read this Gospel text today, it doesn’t shock us anymore; we have become too familiar with the text and been numbed to the anomalous situation it presents.
Stop and think for a while. Here is a young girl, already formally engaged, and only waiting for sometime to go from her parents’ home and live with her husband. But a messenger from God came and asked her if she would be pregnant with the Son of God. What questions appear in your mind? And she had the daring to say yes. Why? How could she do that?
Jesus, Key to Eternal Life, with your incarnation in the womb of Mary, you opened the gate of heaven, come and bring us into the freedom of the children of God and the light of life everlasting. Amen.
==============
Fiat!
The visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary reminds us of God's pattern of choosing ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary purposes, as seen in Sarah, Anne, and the mother of Samson. These women, like Mary, were invited into God's salvific plan, demonstrating that God’s power makes the impossible possible.
Pope Francis speaks of Mary as the perfect disciple who listens, questions and responds with trust. Mary’s initial reaction—confusion and realism—reflects a deep authenticity. She does not accept blindly but seeks to understand. Her question, “How can this be?” shows her faith as active and discerning, not passive. Similarly, in today’s world, Pope Francis calls us to embrace a discerning faith, one that engages deeply with God’s Word and responds to the signs of the times.
The angel’s assurance—“Do not be afraid”—is as relevant now as it was then. In a time of global uncertainty, from environmental crises to social fragmentation, this divine encouragement invites us to trust in God’s plan, even when it is beyond our comprehension. Mary’s response—“Let it be done to me according to your word”—challenges us to surrender ourselves to God’s will with humility and courage, a posture Pope Francis calls "missionary discipleship."
The mention of Elizabeth reminds us of the communal nature of faith. As Mary journeys to serve Elizabeth, we too are called to journey alongside others, bringing hope and solidarity, especially to those marginalized or in need. In our Church, this means building bridges of understanding and service amidst division and uncertainty.
Mary, the handmaid of the Lord, models a life of service. Her “yes” echoes in every act of love and mission we undertake, teaching us that faith is not a privilege but service. May we, like Mary, say yes to God's call today.