Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 15, 2025
First Reading: Numbers 24.2-7, 15-17a
2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,3and he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,4the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!6Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.7Water 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.15And he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,16the 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:17I 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; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Psalm 25
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.2O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.4Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.5Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.6Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!8Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.10All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.11For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.12Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.13His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.14The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.15My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.17The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.18Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.19Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.20Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.22Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Gospel: Matthew 21.23-27
23And when he 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?"24Jesus 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.25The 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?'26But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet."27So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Sermon
The ancient prophecy from Numbers speaks of Balaam, a man hired to curse Israel, but whose mouth God filled with blessings and visions of their glorious future. Despite his own intentions, he proclaimed the beauty of Israel and foresaw a "star out of Jacob" and a "scepter from Israel," a messianic figure whose authority would overcome all adversaries. This prophetic utterance, given through an outsider, clearly points to God’s sovereign plan and the eventual coming of Christ. Paradoxically, centuries later, when this "star," Jesus, stood teaching in the temple, the chief priests and elders, the very insiders who should have recognized the fulfillment of such prophecies, challenged His authority. They were unwilling to acknowledge the divine source of His power, not because of a lack of evidence, but out of fear and self-interest, revealing their spiritual blindness.
The readings thus present a striking contrast: an ancient prophet, despite his own will, was given eyes to see God's unfolding plan, while the religious leaders of Jesus' day, with the Christ standing before them, chose not to see. This prompts us to examine the source of our own discernment. Do we, like the religious leaders, allow our preconceptions, our fears of public opinion, or our own desire for control to blind us to the presence and authority of Christ in our lives and in the world? Or do we, with open hearts, seek to recognize God’s hand and respond to His divine authority, even when it challenges our comfort or our established ways? Cultivating humility and an openness to truth, rather than clinging to our own understanding or fearing human judgment, allows us to truly recognize and submit to the divine authority that alone brings genuine blessing and eternal life.