Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together: November 2025

Sunday, 30 November 2025

A PURIFYING FAITH IS NEEDED TO WELCOME THE LORD

20251201 A PURIFYING FAITH IS NEEDED TO WELCOME THE LORD

01 December 2025, Monday, 1st Week in Advent

First reading

Isaiah 4:2-6

The fruit of the earth shall be the pride and adornment of Israel's survivors

That day, the branch of the Lord

shall be beauty and glory,

and the fruit of the earth

shall be the pride and adornment

of Israel’s survivors.

Those who are left of Zion

and remain of Jerusalem

shall be called holy

and those left in Jerusalem, noted down for survival.

When the Lord has washed away

the filth of the daughter of Zion

and cleansed Jerusalem of the blood shed in her

with the blast of judgement and the blast of destruction,

the Lord will come and rest

on the whole stretch of Mount Zion

and on those who are gathered there,

a cloud by day, and smoke,

and by night the brightness of a flaring fire.

For, over all, the glory of the Lord

will be a canopy and a tent

to give shade by day from the heat,

refuge and shelter from the storm and the rain.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

It is there that the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgement

of the house of David.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

‘Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

in your palaces, peace!’

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: ‘Peace upon you!’

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ps79:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

God of hosts, bring us back:

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 8:5-11

'I am not worthy to have you under my roof: give the word, and my servant will be healed'

When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’

A PURIFYING FAITH IS NEEDED TO WELCOME THE LORD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ISAIAH 4:2-6; MATTHEW 8:5-11 ]

At the very onset of the season of Advent, the liturgy seeks to prepare us for the coming of Christ our King into our lives–both now and at the end of time. Advent is the beginning of salvation for us all. Salvation is not limited only to the Jews, the Chosen People of God, the children of Abraham, but is offered to people of all nations who are prepared to welcome Him into their lives. All that is required for us to welcome Jesus into our hearts is faith.

The Gospel incident involving the healing of the centurion’s servant underscores God’s grace given to all, even to the Gentiles. Clearly, the centurion was not a Jew, but more likely a Roman in the service of the emperor or attached to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. This centurion was exceptional in the way he treated his servant. We read of his compassion and gratitude toward his servant who was dying. Even though he was not a Jew, he went and pleaded with Jesus when He was in Capernaum, saying, “Sir, my servant is lying at home paralysed and in great pain.” The centurion not only had a good heart but was humble enough to go out of his way to seek healing for his servant. By doing so, he reflected the grace and kindness of God in his heart, even though he was a pagan.

This is very significant and instructive for us. Very often, we think that only believers and those who are baptized are guaranteed salvation in Christ by virtue of their belonging to a particular race or religion. Yet, we can belong to a church or a religion while our hearts are far from God. We think that salvation is a matter of enrolment in a religious institution. The truth, however, is that salvation is given to those whose hearts are with God. This was true of those who were left in Zion after the destruction of the city by the Babylonians. “Those who are left to Zion and remain of Jerusalem shall be called holy, and those left in Jerusalem, noted down for survival.” They were the glory of God. The Lord said, “That day, the branch of the Lord shall be beauty and glory, and the fruit of the earth shall be the pride and adornment of Israel’s survivors.”

Accordingly, those who will be saved are those who are aligned with the values of the Kingdom. Implicitly, the Gospel suggests that non-Christians too share, in some way, the faith of the Chosen People of God and of Christians. Their faith is implicit, like that of the centurion. He came to Jesus because he believed that Jesus, being a good and holy man, would also share his compassion for those who suffer–even those considered insignificant by the world. He approached the Lord with confidence, pleading for help. There are many good people–with or without explicit faith in Christ or any religion–who nonetheless have the heart of God toward their neighbours. We can be sure that God looks upon them with love and delight.

The parable of the final judgment comes to mind, when Jesus will deliver His judgment at the end of time: “Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'” (Mt 25:34-40)

Conversely, the situation of the Israelites in the first reading spoke of their infidelity. They were the Chosen People of God, yet they did not live up to the Covenant. They betrayed the Lord and practiced social injustice, corruption, dishonesty, and religious hypocrisy. As a consequence, they were exiled to Babylon. The temple was destroyed, and the kingdom fell into the hands of the Babylonians. Their faith required purification, and that was what the Lord accomplished through the exile. Thus the prophet said, “When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion and cleansed Jerusalem of the bloodshed in her with the blast of judgement and the blast of destruction, the Lord will come and rest on the whole stretch of Mount Zion and on those gathered there, a cloud by day, and smoke, and by night the brightness of a flaring fire.”

So too was the case of the people during the time of our Lord. The people of Capernaum were waiting for the Messiah but failed to recognize Him when He came among them. They lacked faith, even though they were aware of their privileged position and of God’s promises to Israel. They sought the Messiah elsewhere while He stood before them. They were too blind to recognize in Jesus the presence of God’s power and Kingdom. We too can fall into the same trap. We have our sacraments. We have the Word of God. We have the Church to guide us. Yet we too have been complacent in responding to the Word.

For those who desire the Lord to enter their lives, purification of faith is necessary. We need to learn from the centurion how to place our trust in the Lord. It must begin with humility. When the Lord offered to go to his house to heal his servant, the centurion was mindful of Jesus and His Jewish customs. He was sensitive to the Lord’s situation, even though Jesus was willing to take the risk of entering a Gentile’s home–something not permitted under Jewish law. Jesus would never allow legalism to prevent Him from doing good. Still, the centurion was humble enough to say, “Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured.” We too must approach the Lord in this manner. We must remain humble and recognize our unworthiness before Him. This is what the Church reminds us at every Eucharist: none of us, no matter how holy, is ever worthy enough to receive Him. If the Lord enters our hearts, it is purely His grace and love for us. We cannot justify ourselves; only the Lord can justify us. Justification is through the grace of faith given to us. And so, with grateful and humble hearts, aware of our sinfulness and lack of love, we come before Him asking for healing of our souls and hearts.

Secondly, following the faith of the centurion, we should believe that the Lord has the power to heal and reconcile us. The centurion said, “Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Indeed, the centurion knew that the Lord is all-powerful. We only need to obey Him, and He will work wonders in our lives. Under Christ’s authority, we too can accomplish great things through Him and in Him. It is the Lord who heals and strengthens us. This is the kind of faith that gives glory to the Lord, as He affirmed when He said of the centurion, “I tell you that many will come from the east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.” All who possess such faith in God will be admitted into His Kingdom.

So with the psalmist, we say, “I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: ‘Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!’ For love of my brethren and friends, I say: ‘Peace upon you!’ For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.” Let us welcome Him with humble, compassionate hearts filled with faith and trust in Him.

Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections

Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.

Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.

CHRIST AS OUR CERTAIN HOPE REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO HIS COMING

20251130 CHRIST AS OUR CERTAIN HOPE REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO HIS COMING

First reading

Isaiah 2:1-5

The Lord gathers all nations together into the eternal peace of God's kingdom

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come

the mountain of the Temple of the Lord

shall tower above the mountains

and be lifted higher than the hills.

All the nations will stream to it,

peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the Temple of the God of Jacob

that he may teach us his ways

so that we may walk in his paths;

since the Law will go out from Zion,

and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’

He will wield authority over the nations

and adjudicate between many peoples;

these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,

their spears into sickles.

Nation will not lift sword against nation,

there will be no more training for war.

O House of Jacob, come,

let us walk in the light of the Lord.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

It is there that the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgement

of the house of David.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

‘Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

in your palaces, peace!’

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: ‘Peace upon you!’

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

Second reading

Romans 13:11-14

Our salvation is near

You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Acclamation

Ps84:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy

and give us your saving help.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 24:37-44

The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes. Then of two men in the fields one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left.

‘So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

CHRIST AS OUR CERTAIN HOPE REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO HIS COMING

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ISA 2:1-5; ROM 13:11-14; MT 24:37-44]

As we come towards the end of the year, many of us no doubt are breathing a sigh of relief that we have managed to pass through yet another year without too much upheavals, and hoping for a better and brighter year ahead. The world needs hope. We hope for peace at home, in our offices, in our world. We hope for reconciliation and better relationships with our spouse, children, siblings or office colleagues. We hope for greater financial security, good health and for our lives to be put in order. Truly, it is this hope that sustains us.

But the fundamental message of Advent is that hope cannot be founded in this world, not even in man or in human friendship, but in God alone. Without God, there is no hope. If the secular world lives without hope and feels bewildered in the face of the enormous challenges of our times, it is because science and reason alone cannot resolve the world’s crises. Humanism, science and technology cannot solve our problems. They can change the world’s external structure but not the heart of man. Man’s salvation can ultimately come only from God, for man cannot provide the reason for his existence or the laws of morality. Only God, the creator of life and the lawgiver, can satisfy the heart of man. So to God alone must man seek for salvation, and in Him alone can man find his ultimate hope.

This indeed was what inspired the prophet Isaiah when he gave Israel hope as she faced destruction from the advancement of her enemy. Assyria would be the means by which God inflicted punishment on Israel and Judah for their perversion of justice, oppression of the poor, turning from the living God to idols, and relying on foreign powers instead of God. In spite of such a gloomy future, Isaiah believed that in the last days, the Temple would attract all nations by a force of unity — not because of its power but because of God’s presence and influence. In his vision, he visualised a paradisiacal future of peace — when all would walk in the ways of the Lord, and there would be no more fighting or wars among nations.

Advent is the season of hope. But Christian hope goes beyond merely declaring faith in God. It affirms that Christ is our hope because He is the light that shines in darkness. As the New Moses and the New Elijah, He will teach us not just the Law but the perfection of the Law through love and compassion. Jesus’ coming, therefore, is nothing less than the personal coming of the presence of the Lord. He is the One who will lead us to the Mountain of the Lord, where we find our centre, our unity, our security, and our peace. He is our healer, liberator, and hope. He is the light for humanity in a world of sin. His coming is the final visitation of God, and the fulfilment of Israel’s hope and dream prophesied by Isaiah.

The foundation of Christian hope is not merely an illusion but is based on past fulfilled promises. All the prophecies made by the prophets in the Old Testament were fulfilled in Christ. God has been true to His promises. In Christ, we read of how the final visitation of God was felt by His people. The blind received their sight, the lame walked again, the lepers were healed, the deaf could hear again, the dead were raised, and prisoners of injustice and sin were set free. But all the works of Jesus make sense only because the miracles and teachings of Jesus are vindicated by His death and resurrection.

What is more, these promises are not only of the past. Christian hope is based on our present experiences of the guiding hand of God in our lives. Our hope is more than just wishful thinking; it comes from the reality of what Jesus is still doing in our lives. God continues to be faithful to His promises even today. We see how the power of God continues to work in our midst. We see His miracles at work in our lives when we see lives changed, sicknesses cured, broken hearts healed, estranged relationships reconciled, the inconsolable comforted, the lost found, and those whose lives were empty now filled with meaning and enthusiasm.

But some of us might say we have not experienced His peace and love, and His healing grace. This is not because the Lord has not come or is not coming into our lives. It is we who have not been keeping awake at His coming. Twice in the Scripture readings, the exhortation to keep awake is given. St Paul wrote, “You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now; our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted.” Jesus, in the Gospel, in a similar vein, warns us, “So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this: that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

What is keeping us from staying awake? What causes drowsiness in our spiritual life and shuts down our spiritual antenna? Primarily, it is our sinful way of life. When we allow Satan to take over our will and dominate our lives, we become blind to the Spirit of God at work in us. By living a sinful life of self-indulgence, licentiousness, promiscuity and self-centeredness, we block the grace of God from working in us. Anyone who lives in sin and for oneself alone cannot hope to find inner peace within or be at peace with one’s fellowmen. We like to blame our unhappiness on others, but most of the time it is because our pride has been wounded and our self-interests make us retaliate against others.

The desire for peace and unity must begin with the individual who seeks to live a life of integrity. This is what St Paul means when he says, “The night is almost over; it will be daylight soon. Let us give up all the things we prefer to do under the cover of darkness; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light.” All of us who do wrong seek to do so under the cover of darkness because we know such deeds will cause us shame and embarrassment, as they are evil deeds. No one who does wrong is proud to let the world know what he is doing. That is why sin is always to live in darkness, and everything is done “under the cover of darkness.”

In contrast, those of us who do the right thing and live upright lives can walk straight and tall because we know we are walking in the light. St Paul urges us to “arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime.” Prophet Isaiah also makes this same appeal: “O House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Those who walk with a clear conscience are always at peace within. They live without fear, even in sickness, because they are always ready to welcome the Lord. They have nothing to hide, nothing to condemn their conscience, and so live a life of inner freedom and joy. A person who does not carry guilt in his heart and who has done away with the sins that enslave him is one who lives in the light of freedom.

To walk in the light, of course, is more than merely living a moral life. To walk in the light is to let Christ, the Light of humanity, the Light that shines in darkness, the Light that gives hope to the nations, shine in and through us. The season of Advent is to let the Light of Christ shine in our lives. It is to allow the love of Christ in us to make us humble enough to ask for forgiveness, to be forgiving, to heal wounds and hurts caused by our impatience and harsh words, to be generous in helping those who are weak and deprived, and to be faithful in relationships, especially towards our spouse, children, friends and those under our care.

Consequently, the season of Advent calls us to make a responsible choice to specifically welcome Christ by being ready for Him at all times. The saying of Jesus about “two men in the fields, one taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one taken, one left” is to warn us that the Kingdom of God will pass us by if we do not choose Him. Entry into the Kingdom is not dependent simply on having good friends, even if they are very close to God. We cannot depend on our godly spouse or parents to help us enter the Kingdom life. We must make a choice by accepting God’s personal invitation and welcoming Him as the Light of our lives. This decision cannot be delayed because it might be too late, for Christ will come like a thief in the night. So let us take heed and wake up from a life of indifference, callousness and irresponsibility.

Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections

Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.

Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.