Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 14, 2020
First Reading: Numbers 24.2-7, 15-17a
2and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him3taking up his parable, he said: "Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed4the hearer of the sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared5‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel6They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to waters7Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed15Therefore, taking up his parable, he again spoke: "Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed16the hearer of the sermon of God, he who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and who sees the visions of the Almighty, who, falling down, has his eyes opened, has declared17I shall see him, but not presently. I shall gaze upon him, but not soon. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall spring up from Israel. And he shall strike down the commanders of Moab, and he shall devastate all the sons of Seth
Psalm 25
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David. To you, Lord, I have lifted up my soul2In you, my God, I trust. Let me not be put to shame3And do not let my enemies laugh at me. For all who remain with you will not be confounded4May all those who act unjustly over nothing be confounded. O Lord, demonstrate your ways to me, and teach me your paths5Direct me in your truth, and teach me. For you are God, my Saviour, and I remain with you all day long6O Lord, remember your compassion and your mercies, which are from ages past7Do not remember the offenses of my youth and my ignorances. Remember me according to your mercy, because of your goodness, O Lord8The Lord is sweet and righteous. Because of this, he will grant a law to those who fall short in the way9He will direct the mild in judgment. He will teach the meek his ways10All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to those who yearn for his covenant and his testimonies11Because of your name, O Lord, you will pardon my sin, for it is great12Which is the man who fears the Lord? He has established a law for him, on the way that he has chosen13His soul will dwell upon good things, and his offspring will inherit the earth14The Lord is a firmament to those who fear him, and his covenant will be made manifest to them15My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pull my feet from the snare16Look upon me and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor17The troubles of my heart have been multiplied. Deliver me from my needfulness18See my lowliness and my hardship, and release all my offenses19Consider my enemies, for they have been multiplied, and they have hated me with an unjust hatred20Preserve my soul and rescue me. I will not be ashamed, for I have hoped in you21The innocent and the righteous have adhered to me, because I have remained with you22Free Israel, O God, from all his tribulations
Gospel: Matthew 21.23-27
23And when he had arrived at the temple, as he was teaching, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people approached him, saying: "By what authority do you do these things? And who has given this authority to you?24In response, Jesus said to them: "I also will question you with one word: if you tell me this, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things25The baptism of John, where was it from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" But they thought within themselves, saying26"If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we have the crowd to fear, for they all hold John to be a prophet.27And so, they answered Jesus by saying, "We do not know." So he also said to them: "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of prophecy and authority. The first reading from Numbers describes Balaam, a man gifted with the ability to see visions from God. Despite being hired to curse Israel, Balaam instead praises God’s people, declaring their beauty and the promise of a future leader who will rise like a star from Jacob. This passage reminds us of God’s faithfulness and the mysterious ways He works through even unlikely figures to reveal His plan. The second reading from Matthew shifts the focus to Jesus, who is questioned by the religious leaders about the source of His authority. Jesus responds with a question about John the Baptist, forcing His interrogators—and us—to confront the origins of true authority and the nature of belief.
These readings are connected by the theme of authority and its divine origin. In the first reading, Balaam’s authority comes from God, who compels him to speak the truth despite his initial intentions. In the Gospel, Jesus’ authority is similarly divine, but the leaders refuse to acknowledge it, trapped as they are in their own pride and fear. Both readings challenge us to reflect on where we place our trust and how we respond to God’s voice in our lives. Do we, like Balaam, allow ourselves to be instruments of God’s truth, even when it goes against our expectations? Or do we, like the leaders, close ourselves off to the divine because it threatens our own power or understanding?
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I open to hearing God’s voice, even when it comes through unexpected people or circumstances? Do I recognize the authority of God in my life, or do I try to control everything according to my own plans? The moral lesson here is clear: true authority comes from God, and we must approach it with humility and openness. Let us strive to be like Balaam, who, despite his flaws, allowed himself to be a vessel for God’s truth. And let us avoid the mistake of the leaders, who allowed fear and pride to blind them to the divine presence in their midst. May we always seek to align our wills with God’s, trusting in His plan and surrendering to His grace.