Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 16, 2017
First Reading: Sirach 48.1-4, 9-11
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Psalm 80
1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.2Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us!3Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!4O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?5You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure.6You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.7Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!8You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.9You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.10The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.11It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River.12Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?13The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.14Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,15the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.16They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face!17But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!18Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name!19Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Gospel: Matthew 17.10-13
10And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?"11He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.12But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands."13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the figure of Elijah, the prophet, and his role in preparing the way for the coming of the Lord. In the first reading from Sirach, we hear of Elijah’s fiery spirit and his mission to restore balance and reconcile the people with God. He was a man of great power and zeal, called by God to bring His people back to faithfulness. The reading highlights Elijah’s dramatic departure in a whirlwind of fire, a sign of his unique role in God’s plan. This passage reminds us of the importance of prophets in the history of salvation—those who call God’s people to repentance and renewal.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about Elijah, explaining that Elijah has already come in the person of John the Baptist. The disciples were confused because they expected Elijah to precede the Messiah, as the scribes taught. Jesus clarifies that Elijah’s spirit was present in John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord by calling people to repentance. However, just as Elijah and John the Baptist faced rejection and suffering, so too would Jesus suffer at the hands of those who refused to listen. This passage challenges us to recognize the ways in which God works through unexpected figures and circumstances to fulfill His plan.
These readings call us to reflect on our own openness to God’s messengers in our lives. Just as Elijah and John the Baptist were sent to call the people to repentance, we too are called to live lives of conversion and to help others do the same. We must not be like those who failed to recognize Elijah or John, missing the opportunity to respond to God’s grace. Instead, we should approach each day with humility and discernment, seeking to hear God’s voice in the unexpected places and people He sends into our lives. Let us ask for the grace to be attentive to His presence and to follow His will with courage and faith.