3 December 2025 (Wednesday) / Saint Francis Xavier, Priest on Wednesday of the 1st week of Advent/ Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest / Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, Missionary Obligatory Memorial

3 December 2025 (Wednesday)

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest on Wednesday of the 1st week of Advent/ Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest.

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, Missionary Obligatory Memorial.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23: 1-6
Gospel: Matthew 15: 29-37

First Reading : Isaiah 25:6‐10

On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us; for the hand of the Lord rests on this mountain.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 22(23)

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 15:29‐37

Jesus reached the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and he went up into the hills. He sat there, and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel. But Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them off hungry, they might collapse on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a crowd?’ Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said ‘and a few small fish.’ Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and he gave thanks and broke them and handed them to the disciples, who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full.

For our reflection today:

Today, in place of the crowds mentioned in the Gospel, entire peoples are suffering more as a result of the greed of others than from their own hunger. In stark contrast to the dire poverty of many, the amassing of wealth by a few is the sign of an arrogant indifference that produces pain and injustice. Rather than sharing, it squanders the fruits of the earth and human labour. Especially in this Jubilee Year, the Lord’s example is a yardstick that should guide our actions and our service: we are called to share our bread, to multiply hope and to proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom. In saving the crowds from hunger, Jesus proclaims that he will save everyone from death. That is the mystery of faith, which we celebrate in the sacrament of the Eucharist. For just as hunger is a sign of our radical needs in this life, so breaking bread is a sign of God’s gift of salvation. Christ is God’s answer to our human hunger, because his Body is the bread of eternal life: Take this and eat of it, all of you! (Pope Leo XIV, Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, 22 June 2025)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant, 

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)