What shall this child turn out to be?

What shall this child turn out to be?

By REV. FR. SAMUEL FREDERICK

Judges 13:2-7.24-25, Lk. 1:5-25. There are several parallels in the Scriptures about God giving generously to people who longed for Him. Abraham and Sarah were blessed with Isaac after years of waiting. Today's first reading also recounts how Manoah and his wife were blessed with Samson and in today’s Gospel, Zechariah and Elizabeth were blessed with the great fore-runner, John the Baptist. After the message in the Temple to Zechariah that he and Elizabeth would have a son, the priest was struck dumb by this good news. However, Elizabeth had more faith at this news and she rejoiced in her pregnancy, to protect it she goes into seclusion for the first five months. Then, on the sixth month of her pregnancy, the fuller meaning of what God is doing is made clear to her during a visit from her young cousin, Mary of Nazareth. Mary shares with Elizabeth the news of her own blessed pregnancy and then stays with her elderly relative for three months. Both of them lift up joyful praise to God, who has come to visit His people with saving grace.

The angel Gabriel tells Zechariah the good news that his childless wife, Elizabeth, will soon give birth to a son, a gifted child who would prepare for the Lord a people fit for Him. Perhaps there is similar doubt lurking in our hearts like Zechariah. We are suspicious of good news, perhaps because we are so used to hearing bad news. In particular, we may find it hard to trust in the mercy of God, as good news addressed to us personally. What we celebrate at this time of the year is that God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has become God-with-us, Emmanuel, in and through Mary’s son, Jesus. This is marvellous news addressed to us as a people, and addressed to us as individuals. God is with us in Christ and Christ is beside us, behind us, before us, above us and around us. This is the truth we are invited to believe and rejoice in during these days.

May the Lord help us to be more aware of the touch of God with divine graciousness as we reach out to others and help them experience the goodness of God! Amen!! Keep safe and have a wonderful day!!!

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