Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
Matthew 11: 16-19
Faith over excuses: Embracing the Challenge of the Gospel

In the Gospel today, Jesus confronts the resistance of His generation to God’s message. Like stubborn children in a marketplace, they reject both John the Baptist and Jesus, inventing excuses to discredit them. John, with his austere lifestyle, is accused of being possessed. Jesus, who dines with sinners, is dismissed as a glutton and drunkard. Their reactions reveal a deeper issue: a refusal to embrace God’s surprising ways.

Pope Francis highlights how this resistance persists today. Leaders and communities, both in society and the Church, often resist challenges to their comfort or traditions. When faced with prophetic voices or new expressions of faith, they label them as disobedient or contrary to established norms. This tendency to cling to little traditions and rigid ideas stifles openness to the Holy Spirit’s work in our time.

Jesus exposes the inconsistency of these attitudes, comparing the critics to children demanding others dance to their tune. True wisdom, however, does not impose its own preferences but seeks God’s will with humility. Wisdom is not about controlling the narrative but discerning God’s presence in unexpected places and voices.

We are called to examine our own hearts. Are we consistent in living our faith, or do we fall into the same traps of prejudices and resistance? Faith requires a critical conscience, one that challenges injustice and seeks authentic renewal, both in society and within the Church.

The Gospel reminds us that divine wisdom is revealed to the humble and open-hearted. Let us lay aside pretexts and excuses, embracing the uncomfortable but life-giving message of the Gospel. May the Gospel challenge and transform us daily.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2024