Gospel
Lk 1:57-66, 80
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. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Reflection
When I first read this Gospel it just reminded me of how miraculous the birth of John the Baptist truly was and how much faith and trust Elizabeth and Zechariah must have had in God’s plan. Elizabeth and Zechariah were not young by any means, and had longed for a child throughout their marriage but became resigned to the natural limitations of their age. I am sure they were full of doubt and hopelessness however, John's birth was a profound reaffirmation of God's power and love. This event not only fulfilled a divine promise but also symbolized hope and renewal. Their faith was also further shown in the choice to name their child John, which to their relatives and neighbors was a confusing decision as it was a break from tradition and contradicted societal expectations. Zechariah's obedience in naming John as instructed by God, despite the objections of their relatives, shows their commitment to following God's path for their lives. Overall this Gospel encourages us to trust in God's timing and purpose, even when faced with skepticism and uncertainty from those around us, as we saw with Elizabeth and Zechariah and their journey from doubt to faith, and from silence to proclamation.
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