December 16, 2025 Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
Daily Readings: Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13; Matthew 21:28-32
Children of God: One of the most popular Asians who ever lived, for me, is Mahatma Gandhi of India. Isn’t it amazing? He had no title, no army, and no riches, yet people from all walks of life looked up to him. He lived in South Africa for 21 years. Here, Gandhi raised a family and first employed nonviolent resistance in a campaign for civil rights. In 1915, at 45, he returned to India and soon set about organizing peasants, farmers, and urban laborers to protest against discrimination and excessive land tax. And yet, even after his death in 1948, people still remember this man.
His authority came not from position or power but from integrity. Gandhi lived what he taught. When he spoke of peace, he practiced it. When he urged people to live simply, he did so himself. Because his actions matched his words, he earned respect even from those who disagreed with him. Gandhi’s life reminds us that the truest influence comes not from speaking much, but from living faithfully.
In the Parable of the Two Sons, where a father asks his two sons to work in his vineyard, and the first son said, “I will not,” but later changed his mind and went. And second son said, “Yes, father,” but did not go, Jesus asks, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” The people answered, “The first.” Through this parable, Jesus reveals that true obedience is measured not by what we say but by what we do. Words are easy to give, but actions reveal the sincerity of the heart.
There are times when, like the first son, we may resist God’s call at first. We make excuses, delay doing good, or allow fear to hold us back. Yet what matters most is the conversion that leads us to act. God delights not in perfect promises but in humble hearts that are willing to change and obey. Repentance is always possible, and obedience—though it may come late—is still precious in God’s eyes.
The second son, who said “yes” but did not act, represents empty faith—one that speaks loudly but bears no fruit. The world today is filled with promises without action: leaders who make speeches but fail to serve, and believers who say they love God but neglect love of neighbor. The gospel challenges us to let our deeds confirm our faith. As Gandhi showed, and as Jesus teaches, authentic authority and holiness flow from a life that lives the truth.
Children of God: The call of the gospel is clear—let us not only say “yes” to God with our lips, but also with our hands and hearts. May our actions give witness to the faith we profess, and may our obedience speak louder than words.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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