Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the third week of Advent, December 15, 2025

Delivered by Thia Santos from the Church of Divine Mercy Shah Alam in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Numbers 24: 2-7.15-17a; Rs psalm 25: 4bc-5ab.6-7bc.8-9; Matthew 21: 23-27.DO NOT DOUBT Our meditation today isthemed: “Do not doubt.” There are two young people who are dating and facing aproblem that must be resolved together. That problem is doubt. The young man isknown as hardworking, responsible, and willing to make sacrifices. However, hismain weakness is his excessive doubt. His girlfriend becomes concerned. Many of hisdecisions are made only because he is strongly pressured; otherwise, therewould be nothing but confusion and uncertainty. Nevertheless, their lovecontinues. The young woman tries to balance the situation—at the very leastencouraging and reminding him so that his doubts gradually diminish andself-confidence grows, founded on conviction. Neither ofthem comes to think that their relationship and increasingly strong love wouldfail simply because doubt exists on one side. Doubt indeed tends towarduncertainty in making decisions and taking action, but this weakness can beovercome because both of them recognize it and work together to resolve it What is mostfeared is when a doubting person turns into someone who does not believe.Unbelief is an attitude that has gone beyond confusion or uncertainty and hasbecome a fixed negative stance, opposed to faith. A person who does not believehas reached the extreme stage of doubt, confusion, suspicion, and prejudice.Not believing means disagreeing, rejecting, and resisting. The story ofBalaam, a prophet of Baal among the Canaanites who was asked by local triballeaders to prophesy against the Israelites entering Canaan, is an example ofovercoming doubt. The Spirit of the Lord came and removed that doubt, andBalaam instead took the side of the Israelites, God’s chosen people. Balaam’sfaith stood in sharp contrast to that of the Canaanites and their leaders. The Jewishleaders accumulated great doubt by questioning the authority by which JesusChrist acted. We all know that this doubt eventually became complete unbelief.They also doubted John the Baptist and ultimately did not believe in himeither. The climax was that both John the Baptist and Jesus were killed. Theycompletely rejected the truth from God. During thisAdvent season, there should be no doubt within us about the coming of the Lordinto our own lives and the lives of our families. Let us pray. In the name of theFather ... O Lord, may we remain steadfast in faith and hope as we await Yourcoming. Hail Mary, full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...