Where Wisdom Lies

DECEMBER 10, 2021, FRIDAY
Friday of the Second Week of Advent (Violet)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 185

Reading I
Is 48:17-19

Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,

    the Holy One of Israel:

I, the LORD, your God,

    teach you what is for your good,

    and lead you on the way you should go.

If you would hearken to my commandments,

    your prosperity would be like a river,

    and your vindication like the waves of the sea;

Your descendants would be like the sand,

    and those born of your stock like its grains,

Their name never cut off

    or blotted out from my presence.

Responsorial Psalm
1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R.    (see John 8:12)  Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

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

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord will come; go out to meet him!

He is the prince of peace.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 11:16-19

Jesus said to the crowds:

“To what shall I compare this generation? 

It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,

we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ 

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,

‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 

The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,

‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 

But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The Lord had always wanted to shower his people with favors and with gifts. But often when the offer was made (through the mouth of his messengers, the prophets), the peoples turned their backs. In fact even as Jesus would have been preparing to begin his public ministry, this was still happening - they refused the message of John the Baptist. So it was no surprise that Jesus himself began to meet opposition.

From the other side, God tries to adapt himself to us. He never asks more than we can give. We must trust him completely.

PRAYER:

Lord, I recognize something of my own response to people here. I am not always open to listening and accepting those who are different. I can so easily judge, dismiss and reject people. I need your help today.