Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 10, 2022

First Reading: Sirach 48.1-4, 9-11

¹And the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch²He brought a famine upon them, and those who provoked him in their envy became few. For they could not bear the precepts of the Lord³By the word of the Lord, he closed the heavens, and he brought down fire from heaven three times⁴In this way, Elijah was magnified in his wondrous works. So who can say that he is similar to you in glory⁹He was received into a whirlwind of fire, into a swift chariot with fiery horses¹⁰He is written in the judgments of the times, so as to lessen the wrath of the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob¹¹Blessed are those who saw you, and who were adorned with your friendship

Psalm 80

Psalms

Chapter 80

¹Unto the end. For those who will be changed. The testimony of Asaph. A Psalm. The One who reigns over Israel: Be attentive. For you lead Joseph like a sheep. The One who sits upon the cherubim: Shine fort²in the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Awaken your power and draw near, so as to accomplish our salvation³Convert us, O God. And reveal your face, and we will be saved⁴O Lord, God of hosts, how long will you be angry over the prayer of your servant⁵How long will you feed us the bread of tears, and give us to drink a full measure of tears⁶You have set us as a contradiction to our neighbors. And our enemies have ridiculed us⁷O God of hosts, convert us. And reveal your face, and we will be saved⁸You have transferred a vineyard from Egypt. You have cast out the Gentiles, and planted it⁹You were the leader of the journey in its sight. You planted its roots, and it filled the earth¹⁰Its shadow covered the hills, and its branches covered the cedars of God¹¹It extended its new branches even to the sea, and its new seedlings even to the river¹²So then, why have you destroyed its walls, so that all those who pass by the way gather its grapes¹³The wild boar of the forest has trampled it, and a single wild beast has laid waste to it¹⁴Turn back, O God of hosts. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard¹⁵and complete what your right hand has planted, and look upon the son of man, whom you have confirmed for yourself¹⁶Whatever has been set on fire and dug under will perish at the rebuke of your countenance¹⁷Let your hand be over the man on your right, and over the son of man, whom you have confirmed for yourself¹⁸For we do not depart from you, and you will revive us. And we will invoke your name¹⁹O Lord, God of hosts, convert us. And reveal your face, and we will be saved

Gospel: Matthew 17.10-13

Matthew

Chapter 17

¹⁰And his disciples questioned him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that it is necessary for Elijah to arrive first?¹¹But in response, he said to them: "Elijah, indeed, shall arrive and restore all things¹²But I say to you, that Elijah has already arrived, and they did not recognize him, but they did whatever they wanted to him. So also shall the Son of man suffer from them.¹³Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter the figure of Elijah, a powerful prophet from the Old Testament, and the way he prefigures the coming of John the Baptist in the Gospel. The first reading from Sirach praises Elijah for his fiery zeal, his miracles, and his role in restoring the people’s relationship with God. The Gospel, however, shifts our focus to the present. Jesus explains to his disciples that Elijah has already come in the person of John the Baptist, though the people of his time failed to recognize him. This teaches us that God often works in ways that are unexpected and unseen to those who are not attentive. The connection between the two readings lies in the theme of preparation and purification. Elijah was sent to restore all things, to bring the people back to the Lord, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. Similarly, John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, calling people to repentance and baptizing them in the wilderness. Both figures remind us that our faith requires purification and readiness. Just as Elijah and John called their people to conversion, we too are called to examine our lives and turn away from sin. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Am I open to the ways in which God is working in my life, even if they are unexpected? Am I attentive to the prophets and messengers God sends to guide me? Let us strive to live with the same zeal and fidelity as Elijah and John the Baptist, trusting that God is always at work, even when we do not see it immediately. May we be purified by repentance and prepared to receive the Lord in our lives, just as Elijah and John prepared the way for the Messiah.