St. Francis Xavier, priest 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Isaiah 26:1-6

 On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city, he himself has set up walls and fortifications to protect us.  Open the gates! Let the righteous nation enter, she who is firm in faithfulness.  You keep in perfect peace the one of steadfast mind, the one who trusts in you.

Trust in Yahweh forever, for Yahweh is an everlasting Rock.  He brought down those who dwell on high, he laid low the lofty city, he razed it to the ground, leveled it to the dust,  Now it is trampled the poor and the lowly tread upon it.

 

Ps 118:1 & 8-9m 19-21m 25-27a

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

 Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father. “So, then, anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man, who built his house on rock.  

The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house, but it did not collapse because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible fall that was!”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Again, Isaiah, our teacher this week, tells us to open our gates, our homes to the “Rock!” Who is this “Rock” that Isaiah speaks of? It is none other than the “Rock” that Moses struck in the desert from which gushed water for the thirsty chosen people (see Ex 17/Num 20; also 1 Cor 10:4).

The prophet reminds us that God is our refuge and strength (see also Psalm 18). We are invited to put our trust in God who is faithful and true, through thick and thin.

When Jesus, therefore, instructs his disciples to build their house on “rodk”and not on sand He is reminding them to put their trust in God wheo can make them survive any storm in life.

I effect Jesus is begging us to welcome him into our homes this Christmas. With Christ in our homes we can be secure. It is quite sad that at times some homes have Santa Claus but not the baby Jesus ina manger. This Christmas, be sure Christ, the Rock of Salvation, is in your home!