Third Tuesday of Advent – 16 December 2025
– You can ponder on the picture. For a method of praying with pictures click button below.
– You can pray on the words of Scripture. For methods of praying with scripture click button below.
– You can follow the suggestions in the daily ‘Reflection’.
– You can listen to the music
Today’s Scripture
Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13 ESV
Thus says the Lord: ‘Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God.
‘For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshippers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.
‘On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.’
Reflection
Today’s reading invites us to recognise one of the key ingredients of openness to God and to hearing God’s whispers – being people who are humble and lowly. Just as Jesus was humble and lowly of heart (Matthew 11:29).
Humility is not doing yourself down, belittling yourself, or considering yourself insignificant, as it is sometimes portrayed. ‘Humility consists in being precisely the person you actually are before God’ (Thomas Merton). The call to humility is an invitation to see ourselves as God sees us.
Lowliness is not weakness, but recognising and relying on God’s strength, rather than doing things in our own strength alone.
You may wish to take some time to reflect on how God sees you, on who you are to God and to consider where God may be inviting you to lean on His strength.
Today’s Music
Humbled Heart, sung by Sarah Kroger