Daily Mass Readings – Friday, 11 December 2026

17 Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things, that govern thee in the way that thou walkest.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments: thy peace had been as a river, and thy justice as the waves of the sea,

19 And thy seed had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof: his name should not have perished, nor have been destroyed from before my face.

R. (John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

1 Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

3 And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

4 Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord will come; go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

16 But whereunto shall I esteem this generation to be like? It is like to children sitting in the market place.

17 Who crying to their companions say: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have lamented, and you have not mourned.

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil.

19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.

The Lord speaks as a teacher who desires our good: “I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things, that govern thee in the way that thou walkest.” His commandments are not burdens meant to restrict life; they lead toward peace, fruitfulness, and stability. The psalm portrays the person who receives God’s instruction as a tree planted beside running water—rooted, nourished, and fruitful in due season.

Yet the Gospel shows how easily the human heart can resist grace. The people criticize John for his austere way of life and reject Jesus for welcoming sinners and sharing their table. They demand that God respond according to their expectations, so neither mourning nor rejoicing can move them. Christ, the Prince of Peace, still comes with an invitation that may take forms we did not expect. Wisdom is recognized by the fruit it bears. A willing heart listens, follows, and allows God’s word to shape its choices. Peace grows when we stop judging God’s ways by our preferences and begin walking attentively in the path he teaches.

Lord our God, teach us the way that leads to life. Keep us from the restless spirit that dismisses your messengers because they do not fit our expectations. Give us humble hearts that can receive both John’s call to repentance and Christ’s merciful welcome. Plant us beside the living waters of your word, so that our lives may bear patient and faithful fruit. Jesus, Prince of Peace, guide our choices and make us attentive to your presence in unexpected places. May your wisdom be seen in the love we practice and the mercy we offer. Amen.