Third Sunday in Advent (year A)  [14 December 2025]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! "Rejoice always in the Lord... the Lord is near." The message of this third Sunday of Advent is the announcement of the joy of Christmas approaching. Advent teaches us to wait with patient hope for Jesus, who will surely come. 

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (35:1...10)

This passage comes from Isaiah's Little Apocalypse, known as the "Minor Apocalypse" (cc34-35), probably written by an anonymous author, and  tells of the joyful return of Israel from exile in Babylon. We are in the period when the people suffered the sack of Jerusalem and spent over fifty years away from their land, experiencing humiliation and suffering that would discourage even the strongest. Isaiah, who lived in the 6th century BC during the exile in Babylon, reassures the frightened people: 'Behold your God: vengeance is coming, divine reward. He is coming to save you'. The result will be the liberation of the suffering: the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap for joy, the mute will shout for joy. The people have suffered years of domination, deportation with humiliation and many trials, including religious ones: a time that discourages and makes them fear for the future. The author uses the expression 'God's vengeance', which may surprise us today. But here, vengeance is not punishment on men: it is the defeat of the evil that oppresses them and the liberation that God gives. God intervenes personally to save, redeem and restore dignity: the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap and the mute will shout for joy. The return from exile is described as a triumphal march through the desert: the arid landscape is transformed into fertile and lush land, as beautiful as the mountains of Lebanon, the hills of Carmel and the plain of Sharon, symbols of abundance and beauty in the land of Israel. This journey shows that even the hardest trials can become a path of joy and hope when God intervenes. The desert, a symbol of hardship and trial, is thus transformed into a path of joy and hope thanks to God's intervention. The liberated people are called 'redeemed' and liberation is compared to 'redemption' in Jewish law: just as a close relative would release a debt or redeem a slave, God himself is our 'Go'el', the Relative who frees those who are oppressed or prisoners of evil. In this sense, redemption means liberation: physical, moral and spiritual. Singing 'Alleluia' means recognising that God leads us from servitude to freedom, transforming despair into joy and the desert into blossoming. This text reminds us that God never abandons us: even in the most difficult moments, his mercy and love free us and give us hope again. It shows how the language of the Bible can transform words that seem threatening into promises of salvation and hope, reminding us that God always intervenes to free us and restore our dignity.

Main elements +Context: Babylonian exile, Israel far from the land, anonymous author. +Isaiah's Little Apocalypse: prophecy of hope and return to the promised land. +God's vengeance: defeat of evil, not punishment of men. +Concrete liberation: the blind, deaf, lame, mute and prisoners redeemed. +The desert will blossom: difficulties transformed into joy and beauty. +Redemption: God as Go'el, liberator of the oppressed. +Alleluia: song of praise for the liberation received. +Spiritual message: God intervenes to free us and give us hope even in the hardest moments.

*Responsorial Psalm (145/146, 7-8, 9-10

This psalm, a 'psalm of Alleluia', is a song full of joy and gratitude, written after the return of the people of Israel from exile in Babylon, probably for the dedication of the rebuilt Temple. The Temple had been destroyed in 587 BC by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In 538 BC, after the conquest of Babylon by the Persian king Cyrus, the Jews were allowed to return to their land and rebuild the Temple. The reconstruction was not easy due to tensions between those returning from Babylon and those who had remained in Israel, but thanks to the strength of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the work was completed in 515 BC, under King Darius. The dedication of the new Temple was celebrated with great joy (Ezra 6:16). The psalm reflects this joy: Israel recognises that God has remained faithful to the Covenant, as he did during the Exodus. God is the one who frees the oppressed, breaks the chains, gives bread to the hungry, gives sight to the blind and lifts up the weak. This image of God, a God who takes the side of the poor and feels compassion ('mercy' indicates as if the bowels were trembling), was not taken for granted in ancient times. It is Israel's great contribution to the faith of humanity: to reveal a God of love and mercy. The psalm expresses this by saying that the Lord supports the widow and the orphan. The people are invited to imitate God in the same mercy, and the Law of Israel contains many rules for the protection of the weak (widows, orphans, foreigners). The prophets judged Israel's fidelity to the Covenant on the basis of this behaviour. At a deeper level, the psalm shows that God frees us not only from external oppression, but also from internal oppression: spiritual hunger finds its food in the Word; inner blindness is illuminated; the chains of hatred, pride and jealousy are broken. Although we do not see it here, this psalm is actually framed by the word 'Alleluia', which according to Jewish tradition means to sing the praise of God because He leads from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from sadness to joy. We Christians read this psalm in the light of Jesus Christ: He gave bread to his contemporaries and continues to give the "bread of life" in the Eucharist; He is the light of the world (Jn 8:12); in his resurrection, he definitively freed humanity from the chains of death. Finally, since man is created in the image of God, every time he helps a poor person, a sick person, a prisoner, a stranger, he manifests the very image of God. And every gesture made "to the least" contributes to the growth of the Kingdom of God. A catechumen, reading about the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, asked, "Why doesn't Jesus do this today for all the hungry?" And after a moment she replied, "Perhaps he is counting on us to do it."

Important elements to remember +Historical context: psalm written after the return from exile and the reconstruction of the Temple (587–515 BC). +Central theme: the joy of the people for God's faithfulness and their liberation. +Revelation of God: God is merciful and defends the oppressed, the poor, the weak. +Commitment of the people: to imitate God in works of mercy towards all the oppressed. +Spiritual reading: God frees us from inner chains (hatred, pride, spiritual blindness). +Alleluia: symbol of the passage from slavery to freedom and from sadness to joy. +Christian reading: fulfilment in Christ, who gives true bread, enlightens, liberates, saves. +Image of God in man: every gesture of love towards the most fragile makes the image of God visible. +Christian responsibility: God also counts on our commitment to nourish, liberate and support those who suffer.

*Second Reading from the Letter of St James the Apostle (5:7-10)

Christian tradition recognises three figures named James who were close to Jesus: James the Greater, son of Zebedee and brother of John, with an impetuous character, present at the Transfiguration and in Gethsemane; James, son of Alphaeus, one of the Twelve; James, 'brother/cousin' of the Lord, leader of the Church of Jerusalem and probable author of the Letter of James. The text highlights a fundamental theme for the early Christians: the expectation of the coming of the Lord. Like Paul, James always looks to the horizon of the final fulfilment of God's plan. It is significant that at the very beginning of Christian preaching, the end of the world was most ardently desired, perhaps because the Resurrection had given a taste of future glory. In this expectation, James repeats a crucial invitation: patience, a word which in the original Greek (makrothyméo) means 'to have long breath, to have a long spirit'. Waiting for the coming of the Lord is a long-distance race, not a sprint: faith must learn to endure over time. When the early Christians realised that the parousia was not coming immediately, waiting became a true test of fidelity.

To live this endurance, James offers two models: the farmer, who knows the rhythm of the seasons, trusting in God who sends rain 'in its season' (Deut 11:14), and the other model: the prophets, who endured hostility and persecution to remain faithful to their mission. James asks Christians to have stamina (perseverance/patience) and a steadfast heart ("Strengthen your hearts"). In verse 11, which follows this text, James also quotes Job, the only case in the New Testament, as the supreme example of perseverance: those who remain steadfast like him will experience the Lord's mercy. Patience is not only personal: it is lived out in community relationships. James takes up Jesus' teaching: do not complain about one another, do not judge one another, do not murmur. 'The Judge is at hand': only God truly judges, because he sees the heart. Man easily risks confusing wheat and weeds. The lesson is also for us: we often lack the breath of hope, and at the same time we give in to the temptation to judge. Yet Jesus' words about the speck and the log remain relevant today.

Important points to remember: + Of the three James, it is James the Greater, the son of Alphaeus, the 'brother' of the Lord, who is the probable author of this Letter, which reflects the central theme of waiting for the coming of the Lord. + Patience is repeated several times and is understood as 'long breath', an endurance race. + The initial Christian expectation was very intense: it was thought that Christ's return was imminent. + Two models of perseverance: the farmer (trust in God's timing) and the prophets (courage in mission). + v.11 not in this text but immediately after John

cites Job as an example of endurance: the only citation in the New Testament, a symbol of perseverance in trials. +Community mission: do not judge, do not murmur, do not complain because 'the Judge is at the door'. He invites us to live knowing that only God judges rightly. +The danger today is also a lack of spiritual breath and the risk of judging others.

*From the Gospel according to Matthew (11:2-11)

Last Sunday we saw John the Baptist baptising along the Jordan and announcing: 'After me comes one'. When Jesus asked to be baptised, John recognised him as the expected Messiah, but the months passed and John was put in prison by Herod around the year 28, at which time Jesus began his public preaching in Galilee. Jesus began his public life with famous discourses, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes, and with many healings. However, his behaviour was strange in the eyes of the people: he surrounded himself with "unreliable" disciples (publicans, people of different origins and characters); he was not an ascetic like John, he ate and drank like everyone else, and he showed himself among the common people; he never claimed the title of Messiah, nor did he seek power. From prison, John received news from those who kept him informed and began to doubt: 'Have I been deceived? Are you the Messiah?' This question is crucial because it concerns both John and Jesus, who was forced to confront the expectations of those who awaited him. Jesus does not answer with a yes or no, but quotes the prophecies about the works of the Messiah: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor receive the good news (Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1). With these words, Jesus invites John to see for himself whether he is doing the works of the Messiah, confirming that yes, he is the Messiah, even if his manners seem strange. The true face of God is revealed in his service to humanity, not in accordance with expectations of power or glory. Finally, Jesus praises John, saying that he is blessed because he "does not find cause for scandal in me." John sets an example of faith: even in doubt, he does not lose confidence and seeks the truth directly from Jesus himself. Jesus concludes by explaining that John is the greatest of the prophets because he paves the way for the Messiah, but with the coming of Jesus, even the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John, emphasising that the content of Christ's message exceeds all human expectations: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us".

Important elements to remember +John the Baptist announces the Messiah and baptises along the Jordan. +Jesus begins his public life after John's arrest, in Galilee, with speeches and miracles. +Jesus' "strange" behaviour: he associates with everyone, even the most marginalised, does not claim titles or power, eats and presents himself like ordinary people.+John's doubts: he sends his disciples to ask if Jesus is truly the Messiah. + Jesus' response: he cites the prophetic works of the Messiah (healings, liberations, proclamation to the poor).+ John's active faith: he does not remain in doubt, but asks Jesus directly for clarification. + Joy and surprise: the face of God is revealed in the service of man, not according to traditional expectations. + John as precursor: the greatest of the prophets, but with Jesus, the smallest in the Kingdom is the greatest. + Final message: Christ is the Word incarnate, the fulfilment of God's promises.

*Here is a quote from St Gregory the Great in Homily 6 on the Gospels, commenting on the episode: "John does not ignore who Jesus is: he points to him as the Lamb of God. But, sent to prison, he sends his disciples not to know him, but so that they may learn from Christ what he already knew. John does not seek to be taught, but to teach. And Christ does not respond with words, but with deeds: he makes it clear that he is the Messiah not by saying so, but by showing the works announced by the prophets." He adds: "The Lord proclaims blessed those who are not scandalised by him, because in him there is greatness hidden beneath a humble appearance: those who are not scandalised by his humility recognise his divinity." This commentary perfectly illuminates the heart of the Gospel: John does not doubt for himself, but to help his disciples recognise that Jesus is the expected Messiah, even though he presents himself in a surprising and humble way.

+Giovanni D'Ercole

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary [8 December]

Biblical texts: Gn 3:9–20; Ep 1:3–12; Lk 1:26–38 May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! Instead of commenting on the readings, I propose a theological and spiritual meditation on the Immaculate Conception, starting with St Paul and referring to the tradition of the Church and the liturgy.

1. Saint Paul and Mary: a hidden but real bond Although Paul speaks almost nothing directly about the Virgin Mary, his teaching on the election, holiness and predestination of Christians (Eph 1:4-11) deeply illuminates the mystery of Mary. Saint Paul affirms that all the baptised are chosen, holy and immaculate. Applying this to Mary, we understand that what is true for the whole Church is realised in her in a perfect and anticipated way.

2. The mystery of the Church sheds light on the mystery of Mary In the development of theology, especially in the early centuries, Mary was understood in relation to the Church: Mary is what the Church is called to become. What is partial in us is perfect in her. She is 'the first on the journey': first in time, first in perfection. Mary is 'first' in two senses: chronologically first to welcome Christ, first to share in his Passion, first to enter into glory with body and soul. Qualitatively: no one welcomed Christ with greater purity, love and freedom. Her unique grace does not separate her from us, but manifests what God wants to accomplish in the whole Church. The Immaculate Conception is not an isolated privilege, but the full realisation of the vocation of every Christian: Mary is preserved from sin in view of Christ's merits. We are saved from sin through Christ's merits (baptism, sacraments, conversion). The trajectories are the same; in Mary they are only anticipated and brought to perfection thanks to her total obedience and total abandonment to God's will: Mary did not do the divine will but lived entirely in God's will. Herein lies the key to her life: tempted like everyone else, including Jesus, she defeated Satan by choosing to live always and completely in the Father's will, and for this reason she is now a sign of sure hope for us all.

3. Why is Mary Immaculate? The reason is profoundly simple: to be truly the Mother of God. To love Jesus for what he really is — true God and true man — Mary had to be totally free from sin, totally open to love, capable of welcoming God without hindrance. The Immaculate Conception is a gift of love: God formed her this way out of love for his Son and for us, so that Mary might become the Mother of the Saviour and the Mother of the Church. St John Damascene writes: "As Eve cooperated in the fall, Mary cooperated in the redemption: immaculate, she brought life to the one who was to give life to the world." And St Bartholomew Longo, recently canonised, observes: "The Immaculate Conception is not just a title, but a living mystery: God created her entirely pure to make her the Mother of the Redeemer."

4. Mary precedes us to show us our destiny. Mary does not crush, humiliate or distance us: she shows us what we will be in glory; she is a foretaste of what the Church will become; her holiness is a promise of ours. In her we see the goal of Christian life. Mary freely receives the angel's announcement and her "fiat" opens the door to salvation. Today, too, the Church, like Mary, is called to proclaim Christ, to bring his love into the world, to say her "yes" in history. God needs our hands, our eyes, our arms, our hearts: like Mary, we are called to be bearers of light, and we can be so to the extent that God's will lives in us as the protagonist of our entire existence.

5. What does it mean to be “immaculate” today? For us, it does not mean being without sin, but welcoming God’s action in our lives. It means living open to grace, saying our daily “yes”, allowing ourselves to be purified and transformed by the Spirit, becoming transparent in order to show Christ in the world. The Immaculate Conception thus becomes a vocation and a journey. "The truth about the Immaculate Conception seemed the most difficult for me to accept... when I finally accepted it, everything became clear: my faith found meaning." (Testimony reported on the website CatholicConvert.com in the story of Delores, a woman who recounts her conversion to Catholicism).

Important points to remember: +Mary is understood starting from the Church: what is true for all the baptised is perfect in her. +Immaculate because she is the Mother of God: in order to love her Son fully, she had to be totally free from sin. +"First on the journey": first in time and in the quality of love and holiness. +Her grace is promised to us: what she already lives, the Church and Christians will live fully in glory. +Shared predestination: Mary is preserved from sin; we are saved from sin. +Mary's "fiat" as a model: God calls, but waits for our freedom; the yes opens the way to mission. +Being immaculate today: it means welcoming God, allowing ourselves to be purified, becoming transparent to his light. +Mary takes nothing away from God: she is the "echo of God"; to venerate her is to honour God's work in her. +Mary points to our destiny: in her we see what God wants to accomplish in each of us. +The Immaculate Conception is a gift of love: from God to Mary and from Mary to the world.

*Here is a very brief historical summary of the main medieval defenders of the Immaculate Conception: St. Albert the Great (1200-1280) – Dominican theologian; open to the idea of Mary's preservation from original sin, but without defining it definitively. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) – Dominican theologian; he argued that Mary was redeemed 'after original sin', therefore not immaculate from conception. Duns Scotus (1266-1308) – Franciscan theologian; main defender of the Immaculate Conception. Mary was preserved from original sin from the first moment, thanks to the merits of Christ anticipated by God. William of Ockham (1287-1347) – Franciscan; supporter of Scotus' position, albeit with some philosophical nuances. Scotus' central idea: Mary immaculate from the moment of conception, preserved by God's grace thanks to the future merits of Christ, anticipating the official dogma defined in 1854.

+ Giovanni D'Ercole

The authority of Jesus and ours

(Mt 21:23-27)

«With wich authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?» (Mt 21:23).

In the traditional Judaizing milieu of the early communities, questions bounced about Christ’s authority in putting under siege the ordinary religious system, and His distinction even from prophets recognized as the Baptist.

Only answer: the power of God that was expressed in the sign of the times - by fermenting consciences.

Jesus’ mission was not regular: He baffled the atmosphere, so His living and sharp Word had to be circumscribed at all costs.

Such bold behavior would have seemed irreverent, even if adopted by the expected Messiah himself.

And a landless man could only be his false claimant...

Religious leaders that the Lord faced - rooted in established thought patterns and strategies - were always content to adapt Heaven within closed screens.

Mt tried to help his communities in Galilee and Syria: they had to continue fearlessly, and not let themselves be seduced by official religious practices, nor polluted by imperial ideology.

The Evangelist also seems to suggest to the faithful in Christ to avoid puny diatribes, with the representatives of a world only apparently stable - vice versa destined to implode on its own contradictions.

After the expulsion of the sellers and usurer-profaners from the Temple (Mt 21:12ff), Jesus' fate is sealed.

But through his intimates, the new Kingdom - untied - must be proposed in spirit of disinterest, and as a Surprise.

Only the Father can have seed management, of the roots and development.

No man can give "permission" to any person to be reflective and dissolved.

There is an unpredictable path even for those who are accustomed to being directed in every story. Instead the guarantees clutter minds and clog the streets that then result in frontier experiences.

In this way, we manifest independence and freedom because Jesus himself has demonstrated it, flying over all expectations and purpose.

Sooner or later the leaders would have been dismayed by those who could not stand the ratifications, finally recognizing their ignorance.

They would have stranded themselves permanently, on their own - even because of the will not to expose themselves (vv.25-27a). Tactical perplexity, which reveals disbelief - lukewarmness - total lack of Faith.

In short, the ‘silence’ of those who like a more attentive and less external Church is often the just echo of God, more eloquent than so many brilliant disquisitions (v.27b).

Thus Jesus avoids the ambiguity of mental restriction or evasive semantics: in Him the non-response to the leaders becomes a question.

The Lord remains silent, but without diverting the point.

[Monday 3rd wk. in Advent, December 15, 2025]

The authority of Jesus and ours

(Mt 21:23-27)

"By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?" (Mt 21:23).

In the traditional Judaizing environment of the early communities, questions about Christ's authority in laying siege to the ordinary religious system, and his standing apart even from recognised prophets such as the Baptist, were bouncing around.

The only answer: the power of God expressed in the sign of the times - fermenting consciences.

Jesus' mission was not a regular one: he disconcerted the atmosphere, so his sharp, living Word had to be contained at all costs.

Such bold behaviour would have seemed irreverent towards the authorities, even if adopted by the expected Messiah himself. And a landless one could only be his false pretender....

The religious leaders whom the Lord confronted - rooted in established patterns of thought and strategies, even coinage - were always content to fit Heaven into closed dishcloths.

Even the faithful in the congregations of Mt seemed under the tutelage of interests, ways, words and deeds imposed by the despotic climate.

In the 1970s-80s, Jewish converts to the Lord were persecuted because they resisted the customs and pressures of established religious leaders and the power system.

Some had already thoughtlessly attempted the diplomatic route, trying to reconcile Faith and Empire.

As Paul, by now sadly aware of the defeat of his theology, said: 'Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh, force you to be circumcised, just so as not to be persecuted because of the cross of Christ'.

Mt tries to help his communities in Galilee and Syria: they should continue fearless, and not be seduced by official religious practices, nor polluted by the corrupt ideology of the various Caesars.

The evangelist also seems to suggest to the faithful in Christ to avoid punctilious diatribes, with the representatives of a world only apparently stable - on the contrary destined to implode on its own contradictions.

The Tao Tê Ching (v) writes: "To speak much and scrutinise rationally, is worth less than to be empty". And Master Wang Pi comments: 'He who does not talk and does not reason surely scrutinises the reason of things'.

After the expulsion of the sellers and usurer-profaners from the Temple (Mt 21:12ff), Jesus' fate is sealed.

The true god of the ancient high places is not touched: the sack of the 'masters' and the treasure of the priests involved.

Those in charge of the black affairs of the sacred precinct appeared believing and loyal, but only when scrutinised from the outside.

Their inner eye and activity well concealed under their cloaks and behind the scenes lay on anything but spiritual goods.

They were masters of everything, so no one had to take any initiative without their placet. Let alone affect religious commerce.

Who ever gave the imprimatur to a carpenter's son to stand in the way of lavish earnings, and undermine their prestige?

Useful beliefs and habitual income were 'vested rights'.

Unfortunately, the history of religions is punctuated with episodes of plagiarism and compromise, even in times when the economic and social situation became difficult or complex (like today).

Where the less affluent classes declined the risks, the more willingly they outsourced the difficult management of personal freedom - leaving the field open to business partners with God, manipulators of conscience.

But here - by dint of permits to be asked for with deference, similar proceedings (and smuggling 'cordatas') - that freshness full of wonder, typical of the soul open to adventure and the passion of love, was finally lacking.

Therefore, according to Jesus, no man can give 'permission' for any person to be reflective and dissolved.

There is an unpredictable path even for those who are used to being directed in every affair.

The seed borne by the wind of the Spirit makes its own plant, which does not necessarily resemble the surrounding ones: it does not bind itself in its particular expressiveness, and it also flies out of bounds.

Although the constituted authorities absolutely did not want to lose control of things and imposed the usual standard pious life - with its own spin-offs - according to Christ, God alone could have stewarded the seed, roots and development.

Through his intimates, the new Kingdom - untied - is to be proposed to the whole world, in the spirit of selflessness... and as a Surprise.

Unforeseen and unburdened attributes, which the Son reveals in his caring for the weak, and opposing the wily; in his Person.

We manifest independence and freedom, because Jesus himself demonstrated it, overriding all expectations and intentions.

The Master was not a qualunquist with those who hatched plots of trade and even demanded approval.Without seeking lexical concordances, he emphasised that orthodoxy should not be confused with repetition.

The guarantees of the past often clog up minds and clog up paths that then lead to frontier experiences.

In this way, sooner or later the leaders would have been dismayed by those who do not endure ratifications, finally acknowledging their ignorance.

They would run themselves aground - overwhelmed by their own cheating and their anxiety not to lose power over the people [increasingly intolerant of 'visas'].

This, even because of the desire not to expose themselves (vv.25-27a). 

Tactical perplexity, which reveals unbelief - lukewarmness - total lack of Faith.

As Pope Francis pointed out:

Jesus, with intelligence, answers with another question and puts the chief priests "in a corner", asking them whether John the Baptist baptised with an authority that came to him from heaven, that is, from God or from men. Matthew describes their reasoning, reread by the Pontiff "If we say, "From heaven", they will say to us, "Why did you not believe?"; if we say, "From men", people will come against us. And they wash their hands of it and say: 'We do not know'. This, the Holy Father commented, "is the attitude of the mediocre, the liars of faith".

"Not only did Pilate wash his hands of it," the Pope explained, these also wash their hands of it: 'We do not know'. This means, Francis continued, "not entering into the history of men, not getting involved in problems, not fighting to do good, not fighting to heal so many people in need.... 'Better not. Let's not get dirty'".

That is why, the Pontiff clarified, Jesus replies "with the same tune: 'Neither do I tell you by what authority I do this'". In fact, "these are two attitudes of lukewarm Christians", recalled Francis, "of us - as my grandmother used to say - "rose-water Christians"; Christians like this: without consistency".

[Pope Francis, St. Martha, in L'Osservatore Romano 16-17/12/2019].

In his commentary on the Tao (LXV) Master Ho-Shang Kung writes: "The man who possesses the mysterious virtue is so profound that he cannot be probed, so inscrutable that he has no limit.

The silence of those who in Christ are still educating the protagonists of the sacred places is often God's righteous echo, more eloquent than many brilliant disquisitions (v.27b).

Thus Jesus avoids the ambiguity of mental restriction or evasive semantics: in Him the non-answer to the leaders is transformed into a question.

The Lord remains silent, but without deflecting the question.

To internalise and live the message:

Do you demonstrate autonomy and emancipation from those who aspire to control your personality, only to make you a (licensed) labourer in (their) temple?

In your opinion: despite their pompous appearances of rank, did the people's spiritual leaders and temple officials have anything to do with the One they were celebrating?

Sometimes, perhaps - even us - little or nothing?

Translating power into humility

Jesus' word to the people immediately opens up access to the Father's will and to the truth about themselves. Not so, however, for the scribes, who had to strive to interpret the Holy Scriptures with countless reflections (...)

Divine authority is not a force of nature. It is the power of God's love that creates the universe and, by becoming incarnate in the Only-Begotten Son, descending into our humanity, heals the world corrupted by sin. Romano Guardini writes: 'Jesus' entire existence is the translation of power into humility...it is sovereignty that here lowers itself to the form of a servant' (Il Potere, Brescia 1999, 141,142).

For man, authority often means possession, power, dominion, success. For God, on the other hand, authority means service, humility, love; it means entering into the logic of Jesus who stoops to wash the disciples' feet (cf. Jn 13:5), who seeks the true good of man, who heals wounds, who is capable of a love so great that it gives life, because it is Love. In one of her Letters, St Catherine of Siena writes: 'It is necessary that we see and know, in truth, with the light of faith, that God is supreme and eternal Love, and can will nothing but our good' (Ep. 13 in: Le Lettere, vol. 3, Bologna 1999, 206).

[Pope Benedict, Angelus 29 January 2012]

The words Jesus addresses to the people immediately give access to the will of the Father and to the truth about themselves. This was not the case for the scribes who instead had to make an effort to interpret the Sacred Scriptures with countless reflections (...)

The divine authority is not a force of nature. It is the power of the love of God that creates the universe and, becoming incarnate in the Only-Begotten Son, descending into our humanity, heals the world corrupted by sin. Romano Guardini wrote: “Jesus’ entire existence is the translation of power into humility... here is the sovereignty which lowers itself into the form of a servant” (Il Potere, Brescia 1999, 141-142).

Authority, for human beings, often means possession, power, dominion and success. Instead for God authority means service, humility and love; it means entering into the logic of Jesus who stoops to wash his disciples’ feet (cf. Jn 13:5), who seeks man’s true good, who heals wounds, who is capable of a love so great that he gives his life, because he is Love. In one of her Letters St. Catherine of Siena wrote: “It is necessary for us to see and know, in truth, with the light of the faith, that God is supreme and eternal Love and cannot want anything but our good” (Ep. 13 in: Le Lettere, vol. 3, Bologna 1999, 206).

[Pope Benedict, Angelus 29 January 2012]

This is not the appropriate place for quoting the confirmations of this fact which run through the whole history of humanity. What is certain is that from the most ancient times the dictate of conscience has guided every human subject towards an objective moral norm which finds concrete expression in respect for the other person and in the principle of not doing to that person what one would not wish done to oneself (41).

[41] "The moral law", Confucius says, "is not distant from us... The wise man does not make many mistakes regarding the moral law. He has as his principle: do not do to others what you would not wish done to you" (Chung Yung: Equilibrium and Norm, 13). A Japanese master of ancient times (Dengyo Daishi, also called Saicho, who lived 767-822 A.D.) urges people to be "forgetful of self, doers of good to others: this represents the summit of friendship and compassion" (cf. W.T. De Bary, Sources of Japanese Tradition, New York 1958, Vol I, p. 127). Nor can one fail to mention Mahatma Gandhi, who taught the "power of truth" (satyagraha), which conquers without violence by the dynamism intrinsic to just action.

[Pope John Paul II, Dilecti Amici n.7]

Two attitudes of lukewarm Christians - 'cornering God and washing their hands of Him' - are dangerous: because 'it is like challenging God'. If the Lord cornered us "we would never enter Paradise" and woe if he then "washed his hands of us". This is how Pope Francis, in his homily during the morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Monday 16 December, reread the Gospel of Matthew proposed by the liturgy: the one about the dialogue between Jesus and the chief priests, who ask him with what authority he teaches in the temple.

Jesus, the Pontiff recalled, exhorted the people, healed them, taught and performed miracles, and thus unnerved the chief priests, because with his gentleness and dedication to the people he attracted everyone to him. While they, the officials, were respected by the people, who however did not approach them "because they did not trust them". So they agreed 'to corner Jesus'. And they ask him, Francis continued, "By what authority do you do these things?" For 'you are not a priest, a doctor of the law, you have not studied in our universities. You are nothing'.

Jesus, with intelligence, answers with another question and corners the chief priests, asking them whether John the Baptist baptised with an authority that came to him from heaven, that is, from God or from men. Matthew describes their reasoning, reread by the Pontiff "If we say, "From heaven", they will say to us, "Why did you not believe?"; if we say, "From men", people will come against us. And they wash their hands of it and say: 'We do not know'. This, the Holy Father commented, "is the attitude of the mediocre, the liars of faith".

"Not only did Pilate wash his hands of it," the Pope explained, these also wash their hands of it: 'We do not know'. This means, Francis continued, "not to enter into the history of men, not to involve oneself in the problems, not to fight to do good, not to fight to heal so many people in need.... 'Better not. Let's not get dirty'".

That is why, the Pontiff clarified, Jesus replies "with the same tune: 'Neither do I tell you by what authority I do this'". In fact, "these are two attitudes of lukewarm Christians", recalled Francis, "of us - as my grandmother used to say - "rose-water Christians"; Christians like this: without consistency". Hence, the Pontiff explained, that attitude of "putting God in the corner: 'Either you do this to me or I will never go to a church again'".

The other attitude of lukewarmness, the Pope continued, is washing one's hands of it, like "the disciples of Emmaus that morning of the Resurrection": they see the women "all rejoicing because they had seen the Lord", but they do not trust them, because the women "are too imaginative"; and so they wash their hands of it and so they enter the confraternity "of St. Pilate".

"So many Christians," Pope Francis then denounced, "wash their hands of it before the challenges of culture, the challenges of history, the challenges of the people of our time; even before the smallest challenges. How many times, he recalled, "we hear the stingy Christian in front of a person who asks for alms and does not give it: 'No, no I do not give because then these people get drunk. He washes his hands of it'. And to those who reply, continued the Pontiff: "But he has no food.... - It's his business: I don't want him to get drunk'. We hear this many times, many times".

"Putting God in a corner and washing one's hands of him," was the Pontiff's warning, "are two dangerous attitudes, because it is like challenging God. Let us think what would happen if the Lord cornered us. We would never enter Paradise. And what would happen if the Lord washed his hands of us? Poor things". These are, Pope Francis concludes, "two hypocritical attitudes of the educated".

"No, not this one. I don't meddle", so the Pope voiced the hypocritical educated, "I corner people, because they are dirty people", while "in front of this I wash my hands of it because it is their business". Hence Francis' final invitation to see "if there is something like this in us"; and if there is to cast out "these attitudes to make way for the Lord who comes."

[Pope Francis, St. Martha, in L'Osservatore Romano 16-17/12/2019]

Crisis of the titanic spirit

(Mt 11:2-11)

«What did you go out to contemplate in the desert? But what did you come out to see?» (vv.7.8.9).

The Lord wants to help us to become deeply aware of the stretch of road travelled and of what is still ahead of us.

We are not already in possession of Salvation. We have to reflect on the true Exodus still to be done.

Baptist and Jesus never attended court palaces. This is clear (v.8).

The spirit of hedonism or of domestication persuades and attracts us, but it softens and weakens the frankness, the vitality of every path.

Instead, Christ proposes another movement of Conversion: a further excavation, which distinguishes his proposal from that of the Precursor.

«Truly, I say to you, one greater than John the Baptist has not arose among the born of women; but the smallest in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him» (v.11).

For a journey of authentic and finally mature growth - sons in the Son - it is appropriate to free ourselves from every model of perfection.

Adopting a one-sided way does not lead to any blossoming, rather to making things worse.

In the positive (and intimate) itinerary there is no single road. Life is variety, change, resurrection experience.

At that horizon, the greatest obstacles in responding to the personal Call by Name arise precisely from identifications.

Resolute recognitions is always artificial. They do not awaken us from swampy situations, nor do they let us find the gold of mysterious, intimate, wise inclinations.

Existence and the people themselves are in fact not “either/or”. And the path of Life in the Spirit accepts the shades of typeface.

They can sometimes appear as confusing notes, typical of personalities to be corrected. This is how it was imagined until not so long ago; a situation that, however, tended to impoverish and level us.

The ancient devout idea - which has conditioned us so much - was in fact linked to the primacy of external moral "coherence" [correspondence between ideas and actions].

Christ replaces this banal thought with a completely different focus: the correspondence between inner states and their manifestation.

In short, a «little in the kingdom of the heavens» can also be a misfit and disturbing, an eccentric and reprehensible restless - but who would like to grow.

So he does not cover his own internal struggles.

Not infrequently circumstance smiles, moralisms, or the same good manners, veil ideas, impulses, opposite habits that somehow, sooner or later, will find their way to become protagonists.

Not to mention - even in religion - of the dirigiste attitudes, which we do not know well which "double" they hide.

They are not true linearity, authentic order; much less "discipline".

The Master dreams that his apostles turn away from rash judgments and abstract ideals. Too easy. They do not make us perceive clearly.

In short, we must suspend clichés about love for God and others, and the think coarse about ourselves - as well as absorbed opinions.

Contrasts are natural.

Discomfort is the primordial language of the soul that calls us to displace our gaze, to activate the spirit towards new trajectories to explore.

Only in this Exodus will we dock at the Promised Land, a virgin territory to be discovered. To be redone every day.

Not by cutting the Roots horizontally, but starting from them.

[3rd Sunday of Advent (year A) Gaudete, December 14, 2025]