December 4, 2025
Thursday of the First Week of
Advent
Lectionary: 178
Reading
I
On that day they
will sing this song in the land of Judah:
“A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect
us.
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just,
one that keeps faith.
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
in peace, for its trust in you.”
Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
It is trampled underfoot by the needy,
by the footsteps of the poor.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21,
25-27a
R.
(26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD’s;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call him while he is near.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
“Everyone who
listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120425.cfm
Commentary on Isaiah
26:1-6
Today’s reading is a psalm in praise of Zion. There is a
strong contrast with what had been said in an earlier chapter (Is 24:10-13):
The city of chaos is broken down;
every house is shut up so that no one can enter.
There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
all joy has reached its eventide;
the gladness of the earth is banished.
Desolation is left in the city;
the gates are battered into ruins.
For thus it shall be on the earth
and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,
as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended.
Contrast that with today’s upbeat statement:
We have a strong city;
he sets up walls and bulwarks as a safeguard.
Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that maintains faithfulness
may enter in.
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Commentary on
Matthew 7:21,24-27
Today’s Gospel reading reminds us of what true discipleship
means. People often confess that they have not said their morning and evening
prayers or that they have not been to Mass. Perhaps they should remember the
words of today’s Gospel:
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven…
On the other hand, those of us who always do say our morning
and evening prayers, and never miss a Mass, also need to remember those same
words. Something more is needed than just being a ‘pray-er’. What is needed is
that we:
…do the will of [the] Father in heaven.
What is that will? It is that we be filled with the spirit
of the Kingdom and work to make that Kingdom a reality in our world. It
involves constant outreach beyond ourselves. We have to go to God by finding
him present in the world around us and helping others to be aware of that
loving presence also. We will not do that by piously calling on God’s name
while ignoring the needs of our brothers and sisters. To do that is to build
our house on sand.
That is not to say that prayer is not important. We cannot
effectively do God’s work unless we spend time listening to and responding to
his Word in times of undisturbed quiet. But our prayer is only genuine when it
becomes the spur for us to go out and bring something of God’s love and
compassion into our world.
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https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/a1015g/
Thursday,
December 4, 2025
1st Week of
Advent
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
to those who trust in You and live
the gospel of Your Son, You are a dependable rock.
In the storms and tensions of our times, may our faith never
waver, but give us the courage to live as we believe, consistently, radically,
that with Your Son we may do Your will and live in Your love now and forever.
Gospel Reading - Matthew 7: 21, 24-27
“Not everyone who says to Me,
‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only the person who does
the will of My Father in heaven.
Therefore, everyone who listens
to these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built
his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled
themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.
But everyone who listens to these words
of Mine and does not act on them will be like an unwise man who built his house
on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it
fell.”
Reflection
Today’s Gospel narrates the end
of the discourse on the mountain. The discourse on the mountain is a new
reading of the Law of God. It begins with the Beatitudes (Mt 5: 1- 12) and ends
with the house built on the rock.
•
It is a question of acquiring true wisdom. The
source of wisdom is the Word of God expressed in the Law of God. True Wisdom
consists of listening to, and practicing, the Word of God (Lk 11: 28). It is
not sufficient to say “Lord, Lord!” The important thing is not to say beautiful
words about God, but rather to do the will of the Father, and therefore, to be
a revelation of His love and His presence in the world.
•
The one who listens to, and practices, the Word
constructs a house on rock. The strength of the house does not come from the
house itself, but rather from the foundation, from the rock. What does the rock
signify? It is the experience of God’s love revealed in Jesus (Rm 8: 31-39).
There are some people who practice the Word in order to merit God’s love. But
love is not bought, nor do we merit it (sg 8: 7). The love of God is received
gratuitously. Let us put into practice the Word, not in order to merit love,
but to say thank you for the love we have received. This is the good
foundation, the rock which gives security to the house. True security comes
from the certainty of God’s love. It is the rock which sustains us in moments
of difficulty and in storms.
•
The Evangelist ends the discourse on the
Mountain (Mt 7: 27-28) by saying that the crowds admired the teaching of Jesus
because “He taught with authority, and not like the Scribes.” The teaching of
Jesus gave the people a critical awareness concerning religious authority of
the time. Admired and grateful, the people appreciated the beautiful and
diverse teaching of Jesus.
Personal Questions
•
Am I among those who say “Lord, Lord,” or among
those who put the Word into practice?
•
Do I observe the Law in order to merit love and
salvation or in order to thank God for His love and His salvation?
Concluding Prayer
O Lord, grant salvation! O
Lord, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord (Ps 118)
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