Daily Readings - Mon Dec 13 2021
Numbers
2And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!6As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.7He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:16He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Matthew
23And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?24And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.25The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?26But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.27And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments that invite us to reflect on the nature of authority and prophecy. The first reading from Numbers presents Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, who, despite being an outsider, is chosen by God to deliver a message of hope and promise to Israel. Balaam’s prophecy speaks of a future leader, a star rising from Jacob, which we recognize as a foreshadowing of Christ. This reminds us that God’s plan of salvation extends beyond the boundaries of Israel, embracing all nations.
In the Gospel, Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders who question his authority. Jesus responds with a question about John the Baptist, forcing them to confront their own unbelief. Their evasion reveals their resistance to the truth, highlighting the tension between human authority and divine authority. This exchange challenges us to examine our own willingness to accept God’s messengers and the truths they bring.
These readings call us to humility and openness. Like Balaam, we may encounter truth in unexpected places, and like the leaders, we may be tempted to resist it. Let us seek to recognize God’s voice in our lives, even when it comes through unlikely sources. May we embrace the humility to acknowledge God’s authority and the courage to follow where it leads us.