Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection December 15, 2025

15th December 2025 (Monday)

Psalter: Week 3

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Numbers 24. 2-7, 15-17a

In those days: Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.

Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9 R.(4)

R/. Teach me your paths, O Lord

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: Matthew 21. 23-27

At the time: Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Monday – Third Week of Advent

Main Point: Where truth is falsified and denied, authority is abused and deteriorated. For truth is the greatest authority and fidelity to truth is the right exercise of authority

1. Jesus teaches and preaches, heals and exorcises, confronts, and challenges. The Pharisees and scribes and the Jewish authorities resent him but cannot resist him. They see the truth but cannot accept it due to self-righteousness. They see his greatness but reject it due to jealousy. They see God’s power but deny it due to their obstinacy.

2. So the best way to put him down and put a stop to his ministry is to question his credentials. Who is he? What authority does he have? From whom does he derive his authority? In fact, Jesus already answered and clarified these. He revealed his identity, the source of his authority, and the kind of his authority. He is the Son of God, the Incarnate Messiah. He is authorised and empowered by his Father. And his authority is spiritual.

3. But his opponents are not bothered about these truths. They are not at all interested to know the truth. They are stuck only with his earthly identity as the son of Mary. They seriously object that he has no legal or juridical authority. Thus, he is breaching his limits and acting extra-juridically.

4. Jesus poses a counter-question. He pushes them into a dilemma situation whereby either way they get trapped. By whose and what authority did John the Baptist baptise? Where did his authority come from: from heaven or man?

5. We need not see here Jesus’ way of evasion or even his shrewdness. he refuses to answer them directly, just because they do not deserve an answer. They were not open to see the truth and accept it. There is no point of disclosing the truth to those who are closed.

6. How often we too are closed to the higher truth and higher authority? How rightly Balaam in his oracle indicates that openness to truth gives real spiritual authority!

My Practice: He is open to truth and exercises true authority “whose eye is opened, who hears the word of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered.”