Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Don’t Be Childish
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Introduction
“If you had only paid attention to what I have said,” complains the Lord through the prophet, for God wants our own good. Jesus complains that there are people who behave in a childish way when John the Baptist preaches repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah: they are like girls who refuse to dance when the flute plays joyful tunes or boys who refuse to mourn when people are weeping. The Lord is among us and asks for commitment so that we can lead the world to life and justice and happiness. What is our faith worth, if we do not practice it?
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
too often, we are deaf to your voice
and to the presence of your Son
among us, his people.
Inspire us by your prophets and your Spirit
that now is the right moment to change
and to commit ourselves
to the kind of life and to the justice
demanded by the kingdom.
Help us to make people see
that your Son is alive among us
and that he is our Lord for ever.
Responsorial Psalm
<p class="name">Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6</p>
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord will come; go out to meet him!
He is the prince of peace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord, make us attentive to the voice of your Holy Spirit, that we may not let the right moment pass when he inspires us to do the works of justice and love, we pray:
– Make us listen to people who contest our laxity and materialism, we pray:
– Guide our political leaders to follow the voice of their conscience for the good of our people, rather than seek gain and political power, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God,
we bring before you
these gifts of bread and wine
and join your Son, Jesus Christ,
at the table he sets for us.
Give us the determination and strength
to bring his message and his life
to the people around us.
Help us to give ourselves to him
wholeheartedly and without hesitation,
for he is our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
God, our Father,
now that we have eaten the bread of your Son,
help us to do now the good
we have postponed so long.
Make us just and fair to everyone,
to respect the poor and the little ones,
to visit the sick
and to feed the hungry.
Father, we are waiting for you
but do not let us make you wait for us,
for we want to follow your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Father.
Blessing
We should not be like the fickle children who pay no attention to what is good for them. May the Lord dispose us to do what is right and good always, even when it is inconvenient. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Matthew 11:16-19
Be open to the various ways
Here, Jesus uses a vivid analogy to address the fickleness of the people in his generation. He compares them to children playing in the marketplace, saying, "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn." This metaphor reflects the resistance and inconsistency in responding to God's message.
Jesus criticizes the people for their refusal to accept both John the Baptist, who came with an austere message, and himself, who came with a message of grace and celebration. The people seemed dissatisfied regardless of the tone of the message, highlighting a deep-seated resistance to God's invitation.
The image of wisdom being justified by her deeds emphasizes the ultimate vindication of God's ways. The rejection by some does not negate the wisdom of God's plan, which is ultimately demonstrated through the transformative impact of the gospel.
This passage challenges us to reflect on our own response to God's message. Are we like the children in the marketplace, resistant to both the calls for repentance and the invitations to joy and celebration in Christ? It prompts us to examine our hearts for any reluctance to fully embrace the diverse expressions of God's truth.
The contrast between John's ascetic lifestyle and Jesus's more celebratory approach highlights the richness and diversity of God's revelation. The people's failure to accept both reveals a narrow and rigid mindset that hinders a full understanding of God's multifaceted work.
As we engage with this passage, let us be open to the various ways God speaks to us. May our hearts be receptive to both the calls for repentance and the invitations to joy and celebration in Christ, recognizing the wisdom in the diverse expressions of God's redemptive plan.
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2024
Matthew 11: 16-19
Faith over excuses: Embracing the Challenge of the Gospel
In the Gospel today, Jesus confronts the resistance of His generation to God’s message. Like stubborn children in a marketplace, they reject both John the Baptist and Jesus, inventing excuses to discredit them. John, with his austere lifestyle, is accused of being possessed. Jesus, who dines with sinners, is dismissed as a glutton and drunkard. Their reactions reveal a deeper issue: a refusal to embrace God’s surprising ways.
Pope Francis highlights how this resistance persists today. Leaders and communities, both in society and the Church, often resist challenges to their comfort or traditions. When faced with prophetic voices or new expressions of faith, they label them as disobedient or contrary to established norms. This tendency to cling to little traditions and rigid ideas stifles openness to the Holy Spirit’s work in our time.
Jesus exposes the inconsistency of these attitudes, comparing the critics to children demanding others dance to their tune. True wisdom, however, does not impose its own preferences but seeks God’s will with humility. Wisdom is not about controlling the narrative but discerning God’s presence in unexpected places and voices.
We are called to examine our own hearts. Are we consistent in living our faith, or do we fall into the same traps of prejudices and resistance? Faith requires a critical conscience, one that challenges injustice and seeks authentic renewal, both in society and within the Church.
The Gospel reminds us that divine wisdom is revealed to the humble and open-hearted. Let us lay aside pretexts and excuses, embracing the uncomfortable but life-giving message of the Gospel. May the Gospel challenge and transform us daily.