December 23, 2025 // Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
Reflect on the Word //
She clicked “submit” and abruptly lowered her head, burying her face in her arms on the desk. “What’s wrong?” I asked gently, in surprise. “I’m nervous to see my grade,” the fourth grader replied. “How about I check for you?” I suggested. She nodded, and I clicked to view the automatic scoring on the spelling test. “Congratulations! You have a one-hundred!” She looked up and saw; wide-eyed disbelief became perfect joy when she realized my word was true. I smiled; in these moments with the students I tutor, I recall my own fear of checking big assignment grades.
Today’s Responsorial Psalm reminds me that, in my spiritual life, I often behave similarly. The Responsorial Verse, “Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand” (see Luke 21:28), is an invitation to hope: not just to do so distantly, but to hope in the immediacy of the promise.
Why might my head be lowered in the first place? Perhaps it is a stance of deep prayer or of humility. But I may also do it for a negative reason. I may cast my gaze downwards because I hesitate to expect something good from God. Perhaps I feel the need to protect myself from premature hope, from looking forward too hard and being disappointed. Maybe my head is bowed under the weight of interior burdens, which today could be the bustle of the holidays or the keen emotions that reappear this time of year.
But only when I lift my head and live in active expectation do I see the Lord making His ways known to me (see Psalm 25:4) and guiding me in them with kindness and constancy (see Psalm 25:5, 10). I understand that He is my Savior and friend (see Psalm 25:5b, 14), a hope near at hand.
Dear sister, our hope is almost here: tomorrow night, He comes. May we not fear to look up and see. As Catholics, we know how to meet this day, for every Eucharistic consecration invites us to lift up our heads and behold the sign of our redemption—to come, fix our gaze, and adore Christ.
Relate to the Lord // This week, make a visit to Jesus in the Eucharist and adore Him.
Leila Joy Castillo is passionate about bringing Christ to others through the written word in her freelance work, particularly as a media contractor for Ascension and as a homeschool literature tutor. She studied at Ave Maria University and is a lifelong Floridian, so mountains especially delight her heart. Leila could spend far too long chatting about Catholic travel destinations, the saints, life with her three wonderful siblings, and almost anything Jane Austen. You can follow her creativity via Instagram @leila_joyinthejourney.
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