💖 HOMILY - DECEMBER 13 💖

First Reading - Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12

Gospel - Matthew 17:10-13

In every age, God raises up voices that call His people back to faithfulness—voices that challenge, encourage, and prepare us for His saving work. Today’s readings focus on one of those great voices: Elijah, and the one who came in his spirit—John the Baptist. Their mission reminds us that God always sends grace before judgment, and invitation before fulfillment. The theme today is: God prepares our hearts through prophetic voices, but we must be willing to recognize and receive them.

The first reading from Ecclesiasticus praises Elijah with powerful images. He is described like a fire whose word burned like a torch. He confronted injustice, defended God’s covenant, and called a broken nation back to truth. Yet Elijah was not only a figure of power; he was also a sign of hope. Taken up in a whirlwind of fire, he became the promise of restoration—someone who would return to prepare the people for the Lord.

This theme of preparation continues in the Gospel. The disciples ask Jesus why the scribes say Elijah must come first. Jesus confirms that Elijah has indeed come, but not in the spectacular way many expected. He came in the person of John the Baptist—humble, intense, calling people to repentance. But instead of welcoming him, many rejected him. Jesus goes further: just as John suffered, the Son of Man too will suffer. This reveals a deep truth about God’s work: it often arrives quietly, through challenge, through conversion, through the unexpected. And those who expect only dramatic signs may miss the very grace standing before them.

Dear friends, these readings invite us to reflect on how God prepares us today. God still sends “Elijah moments”—times, people, and experiences meant to awaken our hearts. Sometimes it is a word of Scripture that convicts us. Sometimes it is the example of a holy person, the counsel of a friend, or even a difficult event that pushes us toward deeper faith. But like those in Jesus’ time, we can easily overlook or reject these prophetic moments because they do not come as we imagined.

The question for us is simple: Are we attentive?

Do we recognize God’s calls to conversion, or do we resist them?

Do we listen to the prophets in our own lives, or do we dismiss them because their message is uncomfortable?

Elijah and John the Baptist show us that God’s invitation often begins with a call to change. Before God works wonders in us, He first asks us to turn back to Him. And even when we resist or fail to understand, God keeps preparing our hearts with patience and love.

Today, let us pray for the grace to recognize God’s voice in the ordinary events of our lives. Let us be open to the gentle corrections, the quiet inspirations, and the surprising messengers He sends. If we welcome these prophetic moments, our hearts will be ready to encounter Christ more deeply—not only at Christmas, but every day.

May we not miss the grace that stands before us. Instead, may we welcome God’s call and allow Him to lead us into a renewed and joyful relationship with Him.