Reflection for December 23, Wednesday Late Advent Weekdays: Luke 1:57-66

Gospel: Luke 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.”

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Reflection:

Are you always faithful to the commands of the Lord?

In the Sacrament of Matrimony there are vows that is said by the Groom and the Bride. The language is like this: For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. There is always a blessing from God once you remain faithful to this vows such as harmony in the family, successful and well-bred children, less problems and there are many more blessings attached to our faithfulness. These blessings are God’s gift for those couples who remain faithful until the very end of their lives. 

In our gospel the relatives of Elizabeth and Zechariah were supposed to name the newly born child after his father because it was the tradition. But when Elizabeth heard about it she opposed it and she said, he will be called John. Then they made signs to ask Zechariah who was mute at that time and he wrote in a tablet: John is his name. 

Why John? Because it was the name that the Lord wanted for him (Luke 1:13), the Lord knew beforehand how faithful and docile the hearts of  Zechariah and Elizabeth. That’s why even if they were both old  and already barren they were blessed by the Lord with a child that will have a very significant role in the life of Jesus. Zechariah’s faithfulness was further rewarded by the Lord when he regained his faculty to speak once again.     

We must at all times be faithful to the Lord no matter the temptations before us. Because it’s only through our faithfulness to the Lord that we would further receive unfathomable blessings from the Lord. 

Are you always faithful to the commands of the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas