Reflection for December 19 Friday of the Third Week of Advent: Luke 1:5-25

Gospel: Luke 1:5-25

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. He 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 the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”  

Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “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.” 

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute.  

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”

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Reflection:

How profound is our faith in the Lord? Does our faith awaken in us the deep awareness that nothing is impossible with Him?

In today’s Gospel, we encounter Zechariah, a priest already in the twilight of his life. Because of his advanced age, he believed that having a child was no longer possible. Yet the Lord, in His mercy, intervened through an angel and granted the deepest desire of his heart. Still, Zechariah doubted and struggled to believe.

Indeed, nothing is impossible with God for those who believe. Sadly, Zechariah was lacking in this trust. What was clearly possible for God seemed impossible to him. Considering that he was a priest, his faith appeared shallow. And yet, we cannot be too quick to judge him. Zechariah was simply being realistic—both he and his wife Elizabeth were already old. From a human point of view, how could his wife still become pregnant?

But are we really so different from Zechariah?

At times, we too experience moments of unbelief and a lack of faith. We pray, yet we doubt. We hope, yet we hesitate. In such moments, let us not lose sight of this enduring truth: nothing is impossible with the Lord for those who truly believe.

All of us carry dreams, hopes, and aspirations that may seem impossible to achieve. Faced with limitations, failures, or unanswered prayers, doubt naturally creeps in. Yet the Lord invites us not to surrender to doubt, but to continue working quietly, patiently, and faithfully—trusting even when we cannot see the outcome.

Let us then entrust everything to the Lord’s loving providence. Let us ask Him to bless and guide us as we pursue these seemingly impossible dreams, believing that His plans are always greater than our fears and His timing always perfect.

So we ask ourselves today: Do we truly believe that the Lord will grant what we have been praying for? And more importantly, are we willing to trust Him completely—even when His promise seems impossible and His answer delayed? — Marino J. Dasmarinas