Jesus’ authority was challenged by the chief priests and religious elders in today’s Gospel reading. But no one can ever challenge Christ’s authority and win. Take a look at the historical setting in which the story in today’s first reading took place. It happened near the end of the 40-year journey through the desert. Balaam had been hired by Balak, the king of the Moabites, to defeat the Israelites by sorcery since Balak knew he could not defeat them by arms. So Balaam set out to put a curse on them, but each time he tried, God convinced him to pronounce a blessing instead. Balaam then warned Balak that no matter what he tried, the Israelites would defeat them anyway because of a great king Jesus who would come in the distant future.

We might want Jesus to come and rescue us from our troubles today, but his timing is always perfect, beyond our understanding. While we wait, we can take courage and find the joy of Christmas by realizing that no matter how bad life seems to get, no matter how much the evil one tries to defeat us, we will become the victors through Jesus.

Today, prepare for Christmas by exchanging the gift of victory with Jesus. Give him our dried-up gardens of hope. Give him our blocked rivers of joy. Give him everything that is not yet under his kingship. Jesus has the authority to get what he wants. And what does he want? He wants us to be filled with hope and joy! He wants us to live in the victory he already gained for us on the Cross.