Love Made Visible. Christ Reveals the Father’s Heart. (1 John 4:7–10 and Mark 6, 34-44).

When I was a child in catechism class, one of the first questions we memorized was: “Why did God make you?” We were taught: “God made me to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.”

This simple answer holds the whole Christian life in miniature. But how do we actually know the God whom we do not see? How do we move from words, from what we have learned in catechism and theology books, to a living relationship with the One who made us?

St. John captures this fundamental question of faith when he writes: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (cf. 1 John 4:20).

In today’s first reading, St. John gives us the answer in three words: “God is love.” Not that God has love, but that love is His very nature. Everything He does flows from that truth. This is a radical statement, and deeply profound.

Our knowledge of God begins with Sacred Scripture. The question of “who God is” has been at the heart of human inquiry for centuries, among both philosophers and theologians.

Karl Barth, in his work Church Dogmatics: The Doctrine of the Word of God, states that God alone speaks rightly about God. Human beings know God only because God reveals Himself. Every true word about God depends on God’s initiative, not on human speculation or autonomous reasoning.

Barth insists that revelation is not merely information about God, but the very act by which God makes Himself known. God is simultaneously the subject, the object, and the content of revelation. Hence the often-repeated formula: Only God speaks well of God.

If we truly understand that the purpose of life is to know God, to love Him, to worship and serve Him, and thereby to make Him known, loved, worshiped, and adored, our entire outlook on life is transformed.

Pope Benedict XVI reminded us in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est that God’s love is not a feeling, but a gift of Himself. His love is faithful and personal. It is given without condition, even when we turn away, even when our sins crucify Him anew.

This love becomes visible in Jesus. St. John tells us that God sent His Son for two reasons, two sides of the same gift.

First, “God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.” Not mere survival, but real life: life with purpose, peace, and eternal hope. In Christ, God draws near so we can know Him intimately as a Father who walks with us and cares for us.

Second, “He sent his Son as an offering for our sins.” That word “offering” means reconciliation. On the cross, Jesus bore the weight of our brokenness so that nothing would stand between us and God. His death was not the end of love; it was love’s greatest act.

And that brings us to both the challenge and the joy of this Gospel. If God has loved us like this, St. John says, “we also ought to love one another.” If we truly believe we are created in God’s image and likeness, then we must reflect His love in our daily lives.

We know that our capacity to love, the love God originally placed in us, has been wounded by sin. As a result, we often become more selfish; our ego tends to dominate. St. John shows us that our healing and liberation come through intentionally and consciously practicing selfless love in simple, daily gestures: being attentive to others’ needs, as Jesus was; being patient ; (Cfr Mark 6, 34-44), being slow to judge or condemn. Selfless love means forgiveness, no matter how long it takes. It means seeing the person others overlook and treating them with love and dignity as God’s children. 

In the Gospel of Mark 6:34–44, Jesus allowed His heart to be moved when He saw the crowd, whom He described as “a flock without a shepherd.” He preached the Good News to them so they might be saved by the knowledge of “the truth that saves.”

But Jesus also knew they were human and had other needs, they were hungry and needed food. When He presented the crowd’s need to His disciples, they tried to avoid the challenge and suggested sending the people away.

Patiently, Jesus involved them in the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. This reveals a profound truth: God works with the little we offer. Our small capacity to love, when given to Him, can be transformed to nourish many souls who are starving, not for bread, but for love.

And in that freely given love, given without counting the cost, we begin to live the very purpose for which we were made : to know God, to love Him, and to share His love with the world.

That is how we prepare to be happy with Him here on earth, and how we ready ourselves to share eternal happiness with Him in heaven.

 

Let us pray:

Lord,
You are love itself.
Form my heart to love as You love,
freely, faithfully, and without condition.
Help me see You in my brothers and sisters,
serve You in daily acts of mercy,
and live each day for the purpose You gave me:
to know You, love You, and share Your joy with the world.
Amen. 🙏🙏🙏

Se Laisser Accompagner par Christ Lumière du Monde en cette fin d'Année 2025. (1 Jean 2: 18-21 et Évangile de Jean 1: 1-18).

 

Frères et sœurs en Christ, nous voici enfin arrivés à la fin de l'année 2025. Cette année a été riche en événements, heureux et tristes, en surprises, en promesses tenues et non tenues, en espoirs, etc. Aujourd'hui est un moment privilégié pour se remémorer le passé, et surtout, pour exprimer notre gratitude. Un bilan personnel et sincère de cette année, à la lumière de la Parole de Dieu, nous aidera à aborder l'avenir avec espérance.

Dans la première lecture, saint Jean parle avec un sentiment d'urgence : « Enfants, c'est la dernière heure. » Il est clair qu'il ne veut pas effrayer l'Église, mais plutôt nous éveiller. Pour Jean, la dernière heure ne se résume pas à l'heure qui passe. Il s'agit de discerner la présence de Dieu au milieu de toutes les tragédies du monde et de vivre avec un cœur plein d'espérance, en croyant que Dieu est avec son peuple. Saint Jean parle de l'Antéchrist, utilisant le terme « antichristos » . Il ne s'agit pas d'une seule personne, mais de « toute force, tout enseignement ou tout esprit qui nie Jésus comme le Christ » et qui cherche à nous séparer de Dieu et de nos semblables. Et nous savons bien que de telles forces sont nombreuses dans le monde d'aujourd'hui. Les médias sont tellement saturés de « mauvaises nouvelles » que nous avons l'impression que seules ces dernières existent. Et, consciemment ou inconsciemment, nous semblons nous y habituer.

Jean est clair sur ce point : tous ceux qui ont accepté Jésus comme leur Sauveur ont reçu une onction. Il l'appelle chrisme . Cette onction vient du Saint et nous donne la connaissance qui découle de notre proximité avec le Christ. Aujourd'hui, nombreuses sont les voix qui prétendent détenir l'autorité et même la connaissance, y compris en ce qui concerne l'avenir. Mais Jean nous rappelle que la Vérité qui vient de Dieu ne se vante pas et ne peut jamais tromper. Elle est douce, conciliante sans compromis, et apporte lumière et clarté dans les ténèbres et la confusion. L'Enfant Jésus est cette lumière qui brille dans les ténèbres, et les ténèbres ne peuvent jamais l'emporter ! (Jean 1, 5)

L’Évangile de Jean témoigne de cette lumière . Jean écrivait dans un contexte marqué par la philosophie grecque. Les débats portaient, entre autres, sur l’origine de l’Univers. Tandis que la plupart des philosophes s’appuyaient sur le raisonnement humain pour comprendre le principe de l’univers, Jean parlait de son expérience vécue de la foi. Il avait fait l’expérience de la révélation de Dieu en Jésus-Christ. C’est pourquoi il peut écrire : « Au commencement était la Parole. » Le mot qu'il utilise est logos , qui signifie « Parole », la « parole créatrice » par laquelle toutes choses ont été faites.

Avant même que toute chose existe, la Parole était déjà là. Avant le début de l'histoire, Dieu parlait déjà. La Parole était avec Dieu, et la Parole était Dieu. Cela nous révèle que Jésus, dans l'Évangile de Jean, est le visage visible du Dieu invisible. Le message de cet Évangile pour nous est la nécessité d'une « connaissance expérimentale de Dieu ». Elle est essentielle à la vie de tout chrétien. Sans elle, beaucoup seront trompés par l'« antéchrist », par de vaines discussions, des idéologies, etc.

Saint Jean affirme que « la Parole s’est faite chair ». C’est une manière de reconnaître l’Antéchrist. Quiconque nie que Jésus soit réellement le Verbe incarné, qui a pris chair dans le sein de la Vierge Marie, est l’Antéchrist. Jean est très clair à ce sujet, sans ambiguïté ni circonstance atténuante. C’est là l’origine du christianisme (cf. 2 Jean 1, 7).

Nier l'incarnation de Jésus, c'est réduire Dieu à notre pensée humaine. Et cela relève de l'orgueil et de l'ignorance. L'éternel est entré dans le temps. L'invisible est devenu visible. Dieu a marché parmi nous. Il a partagé nos épreuves et a pris sur lui nos faiblesses. C'est là que la lumière rencontre les ténèbres. Jean dit : « La lumière brille dans les ténèbres, et les ténèbres ne l'ont point reçue. » Les ténèbres sont bien réelles. Cette année, nous avons connu la confusion, la peur, la violence et la lassitude. Mais les ténèbres ne sont jamais la fin. La vérité et la lumière de Dieu doivent triompher, quel que soit le temps que cela prendra.

Jean nous dit que la grâce et la vérité viennent par Jésus-Christ . Le mot « vérité » est « aletheia » , qui signifie ce qui est réel et manifeste. Jésus ne nous donne pas d’illusions. Il nous donne la réalité. Il nous révèle Dieu et il nous révèle qui nous sommes. En cette fin d’année, cela est essentiel. Nous n’avons pas besoin de mensonges réconfortants ni de vérités incomplètes qui sèment la confusion et nous égarent. Nous avons besoin de la vérité qui sauve, qui nous libère du péché et du mal. Et cette vérité est douce car elle est pleine de grâce.

Ceux qui renient le Christ s'éloignent de la lumière , mais ceux qui demeurent avec lui marchent comme des enfants de Dieu. Jean dit ici une chose extraordinaire : à tous ceux qui l'ont reçu, il a donné le pouvoir de devenir enfants de Dieu . Non par le sang, par l'effort ou par les mérites, mais par la foi. Cette année ne nous a pas fait enfants de Dieu. Nos succès ne nous l'ont pas mérité, et nos échecs ne nous l'ont pas enlevé. Nous sommes enfants de Dieu parce que le Verbe a choisi de vivre parmi nous.

En cette fin d'année, la Parole nous pose quelques questions simples : Avez-vous trouvé des raisons d'être reconnaissant envers Dieu ? Avez-vous trouvé des raisons d'être reconnaissant envers les autres et de demander pardon ? En tant que chrétiens, qu'avons-nous fait de l'onction que nous avons reçue ? La lumière brille-t-elle encore en nous ? Entendons-nous encore la voix de la Parole dans le silence de nos cœurs ?

Terminons cette année en exprimant notre gratitude envers Dieu et envers tous ceux qui, d'une manière ou d'une autre, nous ont témoigné de la bienveillance. Demandons-lui pardon pour nos manquements et implorons sa grâce afin d'aborder l'année à venir avec une espérance et une foi renouvelées. Que l'Emmanuel demeure avec nous jusqu'à la fin des temps, comme il nous l'a promis dans Matthieu 28,20.

 

 

Embracing The Light of the Word at end of the Year 2025 (1 John 2: 18-21 and Gospel of John 1: 1-18).

Sisters and Brothers in Christ, we have finally arrived at the end of the year 2025. The year has certainly been marked by so many events, happy and sad, surprises, fulfilled and unfilled promises, expectations, etc.  Today is certainly a moment to look back, above all, with gratitude. An honest personal evaluation of the year in light of the Word of God will help us face the future with hope. 

In the first reading, Saint John speaks with a sense of urgency: “Children, it is the last hour.” . It’s obvious that he does not want to scare the Church. Instead, he wants to wake us up. For John, the last hour is not about the time on a clock. It is about being able to discern God’s presence in the midst of all the tragic events in the world and live with a hopeful heart, believing that God is with His people. Saint John talks about the antichrist, using the word antichristos. This is not just one person, but “any force, teaching, or spirit that denies Jesus as the Christ” and tries to separate us from God and our fellow human beings. And we know quite well that there are so many such forces in the world today.  The media is so saturated with “bad news”, giving us the impression that only that exist. And consciously or unconsciously we seem to become accustomed to this.

John makes one thing clear: all those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior have received an anointing. He calls it chrisma. This anointing comes from the Holy One and gives us knowledge, the kind that comes from staying close to Christ. Many voices claim today to have authority and even knowledge, including what pertains to future. But John reminds us that Truth from God is not boastful and can never deceive. It is rather gentle, accommodating without compromising, brings lights and clarity against darkness and confusion. Child Jesus is that light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never overcome it! (John 1:5)

The Gospel of John bears witness to that light. John wrote in a context marked by Greek philosophy. The arguments were, amongst others, on the origin of the Universe.  While most philosophers used human reasoning to understand the principle of the universe, John talked about his lived experience of Faith. He has encountered the revelation of God in Christ Jesus. Thus, he can write: “In the beginning was the Word.” The word he uses is logos, which means “Word”, the “creation word” through whom all things were made.  

Before anything existed, the Word was already there. Before history started, God was already speaking. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. This tells us that Jesus, in the Gospel of John, is the visible face of the invisible God. The message of this Gospel for us is the necessity of having “experiential knowledge of God”.  This is vital in the life of every Christian. Without this, many will be deceived by “antichrist”, by vain discussions, ideologies, etc.

St John says that “The Word became flesh.” This is one way to recognize the antichrist. Any individual who denies that Jesus is really the Incarnate Word, who took flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the antichrist. John is very clear about this, no ambiguity, no attenuating circumstance. This is the originality of Christianity (Cfr 2 John 1:7).

Denying the Incarnation of Jesus is limiting God to our human thinking. And this is nothing but pride and ignorant attitude. The eternal stepped into time. The invisible became visible. God walked among us. He entered our struggles and took on our weakness. This is where light meets darkness. John says, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Darkness is real. We have seen confusion, fear, violence, and tiredness this year. But darkness is never the end. Truth and Light of God must prevail, no matter the time it will take.

John tells us that grace and truth come through Jesus Christ. The word for truth is aletheia, which means what is real and open. Jesus does not give us illusions. He gives us what is real. He shows us God, and he shows us who we are. As this year ends, this is important. We do not need comforting lies and half-baked truth that create confusion and lead astray. We need truth that saves, that set us free from sin and evil. And this truth is gentle because it is full of grace.

Those who deny Christ step away from the light, but those who stay with him walk as children of God. John says something amazing here: to all who received him, he gave the power to become children of God. Not by blood, effort, or achievement, but by faith. This year did not make us God’s child. Our success did not earn it, and our failures did not take it away. We are God’s child because the Word chose to live among us.

As this year ends, the Word asks us few simple questions: Have you found reason to be grateful to God? Have you found reason to be grateful to others and to ask for forgiveness?   As Christians, what did we do with the anointing we received? Is the light still shining in us? Are we still hearing the voice of “The Word” in the silence of our hearts?

Let us end this year with Gratitude to God, to those who have in one way or another been kind to us. Let us also ask for forgiveness for our shortcomings and seek the Grace to embrace the coming year with renewed hope and faith in God. 

May the “Emmanuel” stay with us until the end of time, as He has promised us in Matthew 28:20.🙏🙏🙏  

 

 

The Word Was Made Flesh and Dwelt Amongst Us

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Peace, Love and Joy of the Child Jesus be with you all!!! 🙏🎄

At Christmas, we celebrate a presence: God taking on our human flesh for our salvation.

St. John begins his Gospel with these words:“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things came to be through him, and without him, nothing came to be. In him was life, and that life was the light of the human race. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

We might wonder: Was this necessary? Could God not have saved us with a single word from heaven?

He could have. God is all-powerful. But he chose flesh because we are flesh. We live in time and space. We learn through our senses. We trust what we can see, touch, and hold. St. Augustine taught that our deepest wound, the pride born of Adam and Eve’s sin, is healed by God’s humility in the manger. He meets us as we are, not as abstract souls, but as embodied persons.

This choice reveals who God truly is: a Father who refuses to stay distant. He draws near.

The early Church Fathers spoke of a “great exchange.” St. Athanasius put it clearly: “The Son of God became man so that we might become like God.” He took what is ours to give us what is his. This is more than repair. It is adoption. God doesn’t just fix us; he draws us into his own life. And this is what the enemy could not accept: that God would raise human nature so high as to share his divinity.  God, in his wisdom, remained faithful to his plan.

He values human life, not only when it is strong, radiant, or successful, but also when it is weak, broken, or hidden. The child in Bethlehem is utterly dependent, vulnerable, in need of care. One of the simplest acts of faith we can make this season is to pause before the crib and contemplate this mystery. Mary and Joseph show us a new humanity, actively cooperating with God’s grace.

St. Gregory Nazianzen gave us a vital truth: “What is not assumed is not healed.” If Christ had not taken a human body, our bodies would remain unredeemed. If he had not possessed a human mind, our thoughts would stay unhealed. Because he embraced all that is human, except sin; he sanctifies all of our humanity. That’s why he submitted to baptism: to draw our very nature into the waters of renewal.

God chooses nearness before instruction us. In the world today, so many feel abandoned, forgotten, or invisible, Christmas is God’s answer: I am here.

Darkness of evil, pain, and injustice are realities many experience today. Christmas does not deny these realities, but it places a light within them. Not a blinding glare, but a steady flame that guides.

The manger shows us how God works: quietly, patiently, often unnoticed. John tells us, “He came to his own, but his own did not accept him.” Still, God comes. Every day. In the poor, the sick, the stranger. In the strained family, the lonely heart, the wounded friend.

Christmas asks us one question : Where have we let God enter in our lives?

John also speaks of those who did receive him. To them, he gave power to become children of God, not by human effort or merit, but by welcome. Faith begins with openness.

Mary welcomed Jesus in her womb. Joseph trusted God’s word and acted on it. The shepherds, though they understood little, ran to share what they had seen. They gave what they had, and that was enough.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. This means God walks with us. He shares our limits. He knows our fears from the inside. Nothing in our lives is wasted, not family tensions, not loneliness, not betrayal or false accusation. Jesus lived them all.

From his fullness, we have all received grace upon grace.

Christmas sends us forth: to carry this light into our homes, our workplaces, our neighborhoods. To choose closeness over distance. Mercy over judgment. Service over comfort.

This is the feast of the Nativity:
God is with us.
God is for us.
God is among us.

May we make room for him, not only in our hearts, but in real life, in real ways.

Amen.🙏🙏🙏

 

La Vérité de l'Évangile sur le Danger de la Complaisance Religieuse. Réflexion sur Matthieu 21:28-32.

 

Mes chers frères et sœurs en Christ, dans l’Évangile d’aujourd’hui, nous voyons Jésus enseigner au Temple. Juste avant ce passage (Matthieu 21, 23), les grands prêtres et les anciens l’interpellèrent d’une question cruciale : « Par quelle autorité fais-tu ces choses, et qui t’a donné cette autorité ? » Au lieu de répondre directement, Jésus leur posa une question, les invitant à y trouver la réponse à la leur. Mais ils refusèrent de répondre, et ainsi ils passèrent à côté de la vérité qui se trouvait juste sous leurs yeux.

C’est dans ce contexte que Jésus raconte la parabole que nous entendons aujourd’hui. De nouveau, il s’adresse à ces mêmes chefs religieux et leur demande : « Quel est votre avis …? » À la fin du récit, ils répondent, sans doute sans se rendre compte que leur réponse était aussi un jugement porté sur eux-mêmes.

Jésus conclut alors de façon saisissante : « En vérité, je vous le dis, les publicains et les prostituées vous précèdent dans le royaume de Dieu. » Pourquoi ? Parce qu’ils ont entendu l’appel de Jean à la conversion, qu’ils ont cru et qu’ils ont changé de vie.

Les Grands Prêtres et les Anciens en Nous.

On pourrait qualifier ces chefs de « croyants professionnels ». Ils connaissaient la Torah, les Commandements et les Prophètes. Pourtant, leur familiarité avec le sacré les avait rendus insensibles à la transformation intérieure que Dieu exige. Ils maîtrisaient les rituels, mais négligeaient l'obéissance. Leur religion était polie, mais leurs cœurs étaient loin de Dieu. Jésus avait déjà mis en garde contre cette attitude en citant Isaïe : « Ce peuple m'honore des lèvres, mais son cœur est loin de moi. » (Mt 15, 8 ; Isaïe 29, 13).

Nombre d'entre nous, notamment ceux qui sont engagés dans le ministère, la vie chrétienne et religieuse ou une pratique religieuse régulière, pouvons tomber dans le même piège. Nous assistons à la messe quotidiennement, récitons des prières, chantons des hymnes et connaissons bien les Écritures. Mais si nos cœurs restent insensibles à l'appel à la conversion, nous risquons de devenir experts dans le culte tout en demeurant étrangers à la conversion.

Les deux fils : La Distance entre Paroles et Actes

Dans la parabole, le second fils répond aussitôt « Oui» à son père. Il est poli, respectueux, peut-être même méticuleux quant aux formes et aux rites. Mais il ne se rend pas à la vigne. Le premier fils, quant à lui, refuse catégoriquement ; rebelle, d' apparence irrespectueuse, têtu et direct, il finit pourtant par se raviser, se rend à la vigne et accomplit la demande de son père.

Le mot grec utilisé ici est metamelētheis , qui signifie « il le regretta » ou « changea d’avis ». C’est cela la repentance : non pas un simple regret, mais un revirement complet, un changement de comportement, un chemin nouveau vers l’Évangile. C’est ce fils, et non celui qui a simplement dit « oui », qui accomplit la volonté du Père. Et ce sont les collecteurs d’impôts et les prostituées, et non l’élite religieuse, qui incarnent ce changement, car ils ont répondu au message de Jean par une véritable conversion. N’est-ce pas là ce à quoi nous sommes appelés en cette dernière semaine de l’Avent ?

Le Danger de Cécité spirituelle

Les chefs religieux pouvaient interpréter correctement la parabole, mais ils ne s'y reconnaissaient pas. C'est cela, l'aveuglement spirituel : prompts à juger autrui, mais aveugles à nos propres incohérences. Jésus nous tend un miroir : dans quels domaines de ma vie est-ce que je dis « oui » à Dieu du bout des lèvres, mais que mes actes me contredisent ?

Cet Évangile nous invite à une pause. À laisser la lumière du Christ révéler toutes les ombres de nos cœurs : l’orgueil, l’hypocrisie, le péché caché, le double discours et la routine religieuse sans recueillement et relation personnelle avec Jesus. Alors seulement nos cœurs pourront devenir le berceau humble et accueillant où le Christ désire renaître, où Marie peut déposer doucement son Fils.

Un appel à aller la vigne

La tragédie des grands prêtres ne résidait pas dans leur religiosité, mais dans leur conviction que leur statut les dispensait de se repentir. Ils se croyaient déjà dans la vigne, mais ils restaient à l'extérieur, se disputant l'autorité tout en refusant d'œuvrer pour Dieu et son Royaume.

La Bonne Nouvelle, c'est que Dieu n'est pas choqué par notre premier « non ». Il n'est pas rebuté par nos erreurs, nos rébellions ou nos échecs passés. Il attend patiemment ce moment de regret sincère, ce revirement du cœur qui nous ramène à la vigne. Dans Ézéchiel 33:11, Dieu dit aux Israélites : « Aussi vrai que Je suis vivant, déclare le Seigneur, l'Éternel, Je ne prends aucun plaisir à la mort du méchant, mais plutôt à ce qu'il se détourne de sa voie et qu'il vive. Revenez ! Revenez de vos mauvaises voies ! Pourquoi mourriez-vous, peuple d'Israël ? » Il nous aime tellement que la perte d’un d'entre nous lui cause une douleur inimaginable. Jésus veut que tous soient sauvés, y compris les grands prêtres et les anciens.

Il ne veut pas de belles paroles. Il veut notre présence, notre présence réelle, active et même imparfaite, mais engagée dans l'œuvre d'amour, de miséricorde et de justice. Il préfère un cœur rude qui lutte pour obéir à un cœur lisse et immobile.

 

Prions :

Seigneur, préserve-nous du « oui » vide.
Brise l’orgueil qui nous aveugle sur notre besoin de repentance. Donne-nous le courage du premier fils , pour reconnaître nos erreurs,
changer d’avis et entrer humblement dans ta vigne pour accomplir l’œuvre à laquelle tu nous as appelés. Amen.

 

The Gospel’s Hard Truth on the Danger of Religious Compacency. A Reflection on Matthew 21:28-32.

 

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, in today’s Gospel, we find Jesus teaching in the Temple. Just before this passage (Matthew 21:23), the chief priests and elders challenged Him with a critical question: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Instead of answering directly, Jesus responded with a question of His own, inviting them to find response in it to theirs. But they refused to answer, and so they missed the truth standing right before them.

It is in this context that Jesus tells the parable we hear today. Again, He turns to these same religious leaders and asks, “What is your opinion?” At the end of the story, they do give an answer, though perhaps without realizing it was also a verdict on themselves.

Jesus then delivers a stunning conclusion: “Truly I tell you; the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Why? Because they heard John’s call to repentance, believed, and changed their lives.

The Chief Priests and Elders Among Us.

We might call these leaders “professional believers.” They knew the Torah, the Commandments, and the Prophets. Yet their familiarity with sacred things had numbed them to the inner transformation God requires. They had mastered the rituals but neglected obedience. Their religion was polished, but their hearts were distant from God. Jesus had previous warned against this attitude when quoting Isaiah he said: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Mt 15: 8. Isaiah 29:13).

 Many of us, especially those in ministry, religious life, or regular church practice, can fall into the same trap. We attend Mass daily, recite prayers, sing hymns, and know Scripture well. But if our hearts remain unmoved by the call to repentance, we risk becoming experts in worship while remaining strangers to conversion.

The Two Sons: Words vs. Actions

In the parable, the second son quickly says “Yes, sir” to his father. He is polite, respectful, perhaps even meticulous about form and ritual. But he does not go to the vineyard. The first son refuses outrightly; he is the rebellious type, disrespectful by appearance, stubborn, straightforward, but later changes his mind and goes into the vineyard and does what the father requested.

The Greek word used here is metamelētheis, he “regretted it” or “changed his mind.” This is repentance: not just feeling sorry but turning around and acting differently, followed the new path of the Gospel.  It is this son, not the one who merely said “yes”, who fulfills the father’s will. And it is the tax collectors and prostitutes, not the religious elite, who embody this change because they responded to John’s message with real conversion. Is this not what we are called to do in this last week of Advent?

Spiritual Blindness

The leaders could interpret the parable correctly, but they could not see themselves in it. That is spiritual blindness: quick to judge others, yet blind to our own inconsistencies. Jesus holds up a mirror: Where in my life do I say “Yes” to God with my lips but live a “No” in my actions?

This Gospel invites us to pause. To let the light of Christ expose every shadow in our hearts, pride, hypocrisy, hidden sin, double standards, and religious routine without reverence. Only then can our hearts become the humble, welcoming crib where Christ desires to be born anew, where Mary can gently lay her Son.

A Call to the Vineyard

The tragedy of the chief priests was not their religiosity, it was their assumption that their status excused them from repentance. They thought they were already in the vineyard, but they stood outside, arguing about authority while refusing to work for God and his Kingdom.

The Good News is that God is not shocked by our initial “No.” He is not repelled by our mess, rebellion, or past failures. He waits patiently for that moment of honest regret, that turn of the heart that leads us back to the vineyard. In Ezekiel 33: 11 God says to the Israelites: “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ He so much love us that losing anyone causes Him unimaginable pain. Jesus wants all to be saved, including the Chief priests and the elders.

He does not want polished words. He wants our presence, our real, striving, and even imperfect presence, engaged in the work of love, mercy, and justice. He would rather have a rough heart that wrestles toward obedience than a smooth one that never moves.

 

Let us pray:

Lord, save us from the empty “Yes.”
Shatter the pride that blinds us to our need for repentance.
Give us the courage of the first son, to admit we were wrong,
to change our minds,
and to walk humbly into Your vineyard
to do the work You have called us to do.
Amen.🙏🙏🙏

 

Are you the One Who is to Come? When Faith is put to test. (Mt 11: 2-11).

Brothers and sisters, on this third Sunday of Advent called also “Gaudete Sunday” or “Sunday of Joy” we are invited to meditate on the crucial moment in the life of John the Baptism who is a central figure in this liturgical season. The rose vestment tells us that the night of sorrow is almost over. The light of joy is nearer than ever. I want to draw our attention to something quite deep that happened in the Gospel. The question of John the Baptism invites us to reflect on our conceptions of Messiah, of the God who is to come. This is very vital for our spiritual and faith life and should not be skipped by succession of events.

Matthew’s Gospel, chapters 5 to 9 present Jesus acting with authority. He teaches with power. He heals the sick, raises the dead, forgives sins, casts out demons. Then, in chapter 10, he sends the disciples on mission. Chapter 11 marks a turning point where human expectations begin to clash with divine reality. It is here that John the Baptist appears again behind bars because he stood for truth and justice.

John hears about the works of the Messiah. From prison, he sends his disciples with a question. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” This is crucial question revealing to us a fundamental truth: God’s way may appear sometimes mysterious to us. It is a question that touches the heart of faith. John had announced judgment. He spoke of the axe at the root of the tree. He proclaimed a fire that will refine and separate.  Now, he waits in chains. His idea of the Messiah does not seem to match well with what Jesus is doing. His expectation was that of divine justice, but Jesus is preaching mercy, forgiveness, peace, love of enemy, patience, etc.

John’s question is honest and quite human. It is born from a suffering heart that has given up everything for God. The Greek text uses the expression ho erchomenos, the one who is coming. It refers to the awaited Messiah. John asks whether Jesus truly fits that promise. This question does not cancel John’s mission. It reveals its cost. His faith was tested by divine silence and apparent delay. We can say that John the Baptist was going through a moment of spiritual crisis. Think about this: the one of whom Jesus said: “among all born of women, he is the greatest”, the one who pointed the Messiah saying: “Behold the Lamb of God…”.

Jesus does not respond with theory. He responds with facts. “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” The blind see. The lame walk. Lepers are cleansed. The deaf heart. The dead are raised. The poor receive good news. These actions echo Isaiah’s promises of the time of salvation. Jesus does not say, yes, I am the Messiah. He lets his works speak for Him.

Then comes a decisive word. “Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” The Greek verb skandalizo points to stumbling. Jesus knows that his way will disturb expectations. He knows that faith will face moments of darkness. The Joy He brings will not erase questions. It will pass through them.

After John’s disciples leave, Jesus turns to the crowd. He speaks with deep respect for John. He reminds them that John was not weak. Not a reed shaken by the wind. Not a man of comfort. He was a prophet. More than a prophet. The one who prepared the way. Yet Jesus adds something striking. “The least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

This does not diminish John. It reveals the newness of what is coming. John stands at the threshold. He announces the dawn of a new era: He represent the passage from “Law” to “Grace” from divine anger to mercy.  The Kingdom is not only proclaimed. It is entered through communion with Christ.

Now we hear this Gospel on Gaudete Sunday. A Sunday of joy. This is neither a cheap joy nor a superficial cheer. The Greek word chara, joy, in Scripture flows from hope fulfilled in God’s fidelity, not from the absence of pain. John is in prison, yet joy is near. Jesus is present yet misunderstood. This tension belongs to Advent.

Many today pray like John. They have pointed others to Christ. Yet they find themselves waiting, confined by illness, failure, injustice, or unanswered prayer. This Gospel speaks to them. It says that doubt brought to Jesus becomes a place of encounter. It says that God’s work often unfolds differently from our plans.

Jesus invites us to read the signs of time. He brings healing where there was brokenness, life where there was despair. His brings Good news to the poor. These remain the marks of his presence. When we see them, even quietly, joy is already at work.

Gaudete does not deny the prison in which we may find ourselves today. It announces that the prison does not have the last word. The One who comes is already among us. He is saying: “Do not be afraid, for I have conquered the world.”, (John 16:33).  Blessed are those who do not stumble over the humility of his ways. Blessed are those who wait with trust. The Great Joy is closer than it seems.