Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we continue to progress through this time and season of Advent, we are reminded that each and every one of us as God’s people, His followers and disciples, as Christians, we ought to continue to have hope in the Lord our God, our Father, our Master and Creator, Who will always be with us, blessing us all and protecting us from harm’s way and from those who hate and despise us. He will shield us even from those who seek to curse and destroy us, and even when we have to suffer and endure tribulations, we must not forget that God is always there with us, by our side, supporting us all just as He has once suffered the worst of persecutions, rejections and humiliations for our sake.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Numbers, we heard of the occasion when the prophet and seer Balaam was tasked by a king who was the enemy of the Israelites, king Balak, to utter a curse against the people of Israel. He must have been quite a well-known seer and whose prayers and utterings had the power, such that the king of Israel’s enemy, desperate in trying to seek for a way to stop the seemingly unstoppable might and advance of the Israelites on their way to their Promised Land, sought this seer’s help to assist him in defeating the people of God. And yet, as we all heard in what Balaam actually spoke in song to the Israelites were in fact words and songs of blessing, which God had inspired him to say and sing for His people.

We heard the song of praise and blessings which Balaam spoke and sung for the Israelites, praising the glory and the joy of the children of Jacob, and how God had richly blessed them all and how they were guided, protected and led to the right paths by their loving God and Master. And at the same time, this reading was chosen for us on this occasion also because Balaam also received a vision of the distant future, as he saw glimpses of the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation, as he saw a Star rising from Jacob, the coming of the Light of the nations, referring to the future coming of the Messiah long before other prophets even spoke of this coming Saviour. This is what we have also been hearing throughout this time and season of Advent, of the coming of God’s salvation, which He has indeed fully accomplished through Christ, His Son.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the encounter between the Lord Jesus and the authorities of the Temple of Jerusalem, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law, the latter of whom questioned the Lord on the authenticity and the basis of His authority in everything that He had done and performed, just as they themselves had also done against St. John the Baptist, the one whom God had sent to prepare the path for His Saviour. It must have indeed been very frustrating for the Lord to keep on encountering the repeated challenges, trials and oppositions as such that He had faced against those stubborn chief priests, Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, many of whom kept on interfering with His works and ministry in many occasions.

Then it was at that time that the Lord then questioned them with another question on what they thought of the works of St. John the Baptist, the one whom they themselves had opposed and questioned in the similar manner as they had done against Him. This was indeed a very smart move, as highlighted by what those members of the Sanhedrin, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law immediately discussed afterwards. They could not agree on whether they should tell the Lord that they believed that the works of St. John the Baptist were the works of man, or whether they were Divinely ordained and appointed. They were in a dilemma because both responses would have led them into great trouble either way, as mentioned, that if they said that the works of St. John the Baptist were worldly in origin they risked the wrath of the people who mostly and widely believed that St. John the Baptist is a man of God.

On the other hand, if they responded with the works of St. John the Baptist as Divinely ordained, then not only that this would affirm whatever the Lord Jesus Himself had done, but that would also undermine their own position considering that they themselves had earlier on criticised St. John the Baptist and doubted him. In that way, their answer would be a slap to their own faces. Hence, we heard how they all eventually agreed to tell the Lord that they did not know, and this led to a stalemate where the Lord therefore said that He was not obliged to share either where He had His authority from. It is sad indeed to see all these oppositions that happened against the Lord, against all the efforts and good works that He had carried out for the people of God because of the pride, arrogance and greed of those who were the leaders of the people.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we have discussed and discerned through these readings of the Sacred Scriptures today, let us all continue to do our best in living our lives faithfully in the Lord, following His path thoroughly despite the many challenges and trials that we may encounter and face in our lives. We should always put our faith and trust in the Lord, knowing that whatever challenges and hardships we face, we will always be steadfast in staying firm in our course towards the Lord, and not be easily tempted or swayed to turn away or seek alternatives that lead us further from the Lord and His salvation. Let us be courageous and strong so that by our faith and our hope in God, we will inspire many others we encounter to continue to be strong and faithful in everything that they do, and become ever closer to the Lord.

May the Lord, our most loving God continue to inspire and strengthen all of us so that by His guidance, strength and wisdom, we may continue to do our best in glorifying Him at all times through our every efforts, endeavours and all the things we do in our interactions with everyone we encounter in life. And especially during this time and season of Advent, let us all continue to prepare ourselves thoroughly so that in our every daily endeavours, efforts and all of our preparation for the upcoming Christmas season, we will always put the Lord at the centre of all things. Amen.