Gospel 

Luke 1:5-17

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,

there was a priest named Zechariah

of the priestly division of Abijah;

his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,

and her name was Elizabeth.

Both were righteous in the eyes of God,

observing all the commandments

and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren

and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving

as priest in his division’s turn before God,

according to the practice of the priestly service,

he was chosen by lot

to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.

Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside

at the hour of the incense offering,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him,

standing at the right of the altar of incense.

Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall name him John.

And you will have joy and gladness,

and many will rejoice at his birth,

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

John will drink neither wine nor strong drink.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,

and he will turn many of the children of Israel

to the Lord their God.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah

to turn their hearts toward their children

and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,

to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Reflection

God makes promises to all of us. He made a promise to Zechariah and Elizabeth that they would have a son one day, and when the time pass for it to happen in this ordinary way, he lost sight of the promise, and gave up on it. And yet, when an angel appeared to him to tell him that this was going to happen, but it was going to happen in a way that was beyond anything that would have been normal,

it was an extraordinary event, a woman far into her old age having a baby. But what the lesson seems to me to be that no matter how long it takes, no matter what form it takes, the promises that God makes to us will take place. We have to believe. We have to trust, or we are not going to be open to when it does happen.

Closing Prayer

Father, bless us with an ability to trust beyond what is logical. What is practical. You've made a promise to all of us that we will know you, we will live with you, you will dwell in us, and we will do things that are your work in others. Bless us with the faith that we need that never do we lose the hope that that will happen. Then we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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