Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 14, 2020
First Reading: Numbers 24.2-7, 15-17a
2When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him3and he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,4the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:5"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!6"Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters.7Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. "Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.15Then he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,16the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:17"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.
Psalm 25
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;2in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.3No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.4Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;5guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.6Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.8Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.9He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.10All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.11For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.12Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.13He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.14The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.15My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.17The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.18Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.19See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!20Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.22Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
Gospel: Matthew 21.23-27
23Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"24Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.25John's baptism--where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?"26They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'From men'--we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."27So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing 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.