11 December 2025 (Thursday) / Thursday of the 2nd week of Advent or Saint Damasus I, Pope / Advent Weekday/ Saint Damasus I, Pope / Thursday of the Second Week of Advent

11 December 2025 (Thursday)

Thursday of the 2nd week of Advent or Saint Damasus I, Pope.

Advent Weekday/ Saint Damasus I, Pope.

Thursday of the Second Week of Advent.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church: 

First Reading: Isaiah 41: 13-20
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 145: 1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13
Alleluia: Isaiah 45: 8
Gospel: Matthew 11: 11-15

First Reading : Isaiah 41:13‐20

I, the Lord, your God, I am holding you by the right hand; I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid, I will help you.’ Do not be afraid, Jacob, poor worm, Israel, puny mite. I will help you – it is the Lord who speaks – the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer. See, I turn you into a threshing‐sled, new, with doubled teeth; you shall thresh and crush the mountains, and turn the hills to chaff. You shall winnow them and the wind will blow them away, the gale will scatter them. But you yourself will rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the Holy One of Israel. The poor and needy ask for water, and there is none, their tongue is parched with thirst. I, the Lord, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them. I will make rivers well up on barren heights, and fountains in the midst of valleys; turn the wilderness into a lake, and dry ground into waterspring. In the wilderness I will put cedar trees,vacacias, myrtles, olives. In the desert I will plant juniper, plane tree and cypress side by side; so that men may see and know, may all observe and understand that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 144(145):1,9‐13

The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love.
I will give you glory, O God my king,
  I will bless your name for ever.
How good is the Lord to all,
  compassionate to all his creatures.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
  and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
  and declare your might, O God,
to make known to men your mighty deeds
  and the glorious splendour of your reign.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
  your rule lasts from age to age.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Alleluia: Isaiah 45: 8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
8 Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.
(8. Rain down, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down saving justice, let the earth open up and blossom with salvation, and let justice sprout with it; I, Yahweh, have created it!)
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 11:11‐15

Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm. Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!’

For our reflection today:

Right here is “the greatness of John, a great man, the last of that group of believers that began with Abraham, the one who preaches repentance; who does not mince words in condemning the proud, who at life’s end permits himself to doubt”. This is a beautiful programme of Christian life. Let us ask “John for the grace of apostolic courage to always say things truthfully”; that of “pastoral love”. This means “to receive people with what little one can give, the first step”. God will do the rest. It is important, then, that “the great John, who is the least in the kingdom of heaven — for this he is great —, may he help us on this road in the Lord’s footsteps ”. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 15 December 2016)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)