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Writer's pictureAlaina Lanik

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent, December 23, 2024

Gospel

Lk 1:57-66

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child

she gave birth to a son.

Her neighbors and relatives heard

that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,

and they rejoiced with her.

When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,

they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,

but his mother said in reply,

"No. He will be called John."

But they answered her,

"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."

So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.

He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"

and all were amazed.

Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,

and he spoke blessing God.

Then fear came upon all their neighbors,

and all these matters were discussed

throughout the hill country of Judea.

All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,

"What, then, will this child be?

For surely the hand of the Lord was with him."


Reflection

Something that stood out to me in this Gospel was the fact that Zechariah was mute and had to write on a tablet "John is his name" when asked about what the baby would be called. This break from tradition confused the neighbors and relatives, which is why they sought confirmation from Zechariah. The break from the norm showed how the child would be set apart for a divine mission, and Elizabeth and Zechariah’s insistence on the name revealed their trust in God’s plan, even when it seemed unconventional.


However, reflecting on why Zechariah was mute, I was reminded of his earlier encounter with the Angel Gabriel. When Gabriel announced that Elizabeth would conceive a son in their old age, Zechariah doubted the message. As a consequence, he was rendered speechless..."I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time" (Luke 1:19-20).


This period of silence at first I saw as a form punishment but after reflection I could see how it was not a punishment out of spite but rather a form of penance. A time for Zechariah to reflect, grow in humility, and deepen his trust in God. Instead of becoming bitter or resentful, Zechariah used those nine months to meditate on Gabriel’s message and prepare his heart for the incredible role his son would play in God’s plan. When the time came, Zechariah embraced God’s plan fully, by confirming his name "John" showing his obedience and faith. I think Zechariah’s journey teaches us that doubt and failure are not the end of our relationship with God. His penance was not only a means of discipline but also a pathway to greater faith and alignment with God’s will. It made me wonder if today we allow past sin or lack of faith to control our lives or if we allow it to be moments of grace that lead us closer to God?


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