Monday, December 12, 2011 {Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Our Lord avoided any offensive personal remarks when He preached. He attacked only the vices of a school, of a caste, also the bad examples and scandals. He did not reveal hidden crimes or secret defects.
-- St Peter Emyard

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Numbers 24: 2-7
2 and saw the people of Israel camped tribe by tribe. The spirit of God took control of him, 3 and he uttered this prophecy:
“The message of Balaam son of Beor,The words of the man who can see clearly,
4 Who can hear what God is saying.With staring eyes I see in a trance, A vision from Almighty God.
5 The tents of Israel are beautiful,

6 Like long rows of palms Or gardens beside a river, Like aloes planted by the Lord Or cedars beside the water.
7 They will have abundant rainfall And plant their seed in well-watered fields. Their king shall be greater than Agag, And his rule shall be extended far and wide.
Psalms: Psalm 24:4-9
4 Those who are pure in act and in thought, who do not worship idols or make false promises.
5 The Lord will bless them and save them; God will declare them innocent.
6 Such are the people who come to God, who come into the presence of the God of Jacob.
7 Fling wide the gates, open the ancient doors, and the great king will come in.
8 Who is this great king? He is the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, victorious in battle.
9 Fling wide the gates, open the ancient doors, and the great king will come in.
Gospel: Matthew 21:23-27
(The Question about Jesus' Authority)
23 Jesus came back to the Temple; and as he taught, the chief priests and the elders came to him and asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?”
24 Jesus answered them, “I will ask you just one question, and if you give me an answer, I will tell you what right I have to do these things.
25 Where did John's right to baptize come from: was it from God or from human beings?”
They started to argue among themselves, “What shall we say? If we answer, ‘From God,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe John?’
26 But if we say, ‘From human beings,’ we are afraid of what the people might do, because they are all convinced that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don't know.”
And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you, then, by what right I do these things.