Reflection for December 24 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent: Luke 1:67-79

Gospel: Luke 1:67-79

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David. Through his prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hand of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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Reflection:

When do we truly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

We feel the Holy Spirit when we allow prayer to become part of our daily life—when we intentionally set aside time to read Sacred Scripture and when we faithfully make ourselves present at the Holy Mass.

Many of us struggle to pray every day because we think that prayer demands too much time. Yet prayer does not have to be long. Even a few seconds offered with sincerity can touch the heart of God, because the power of prayer is not measured by its length but by the focus, depth, and love with which we pray.

Many of us feel that we no longer have time to read the Bible, forgetting that the wisdom we seek for a meaningful and worthy life is already written there. Many of us also fail to attend Holy Mass regularly, overlooking the profound truth that Jesus is truly present every time we celebrate the Eucharist. When we neglect these sacred moments, we slowly distance ourselves from the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit.

In the Gospel, we encounter Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. He was not only a priest but also a deeply prayerful and holy man. His life was anchored in prayer, marked by attentiveness and trust in God. Because of this, Zechariah was open to the action of the Holy Spirit, who filled his heart and guided his words.

The canticle of Zechariah was not merely the product of human thought; it was inspired by the Holy Spirit with whom he remained closely united through a faithful prayer life. It was the Spirit who empowered him to proclaim a beautiful song of praise, thanksgiving, and hope—a song that continues to echo in the life of the Church today.

We are invited to follow this same path. Let us strive to nurture a prayer life that is sincere and passionate. Let us commit ourselves to daily encounters with God through Sacred Scripture, and let us never take for granted the grace of being present at Holy Mass. When we do, we will surely experience the abiding and transforming presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The question now is this: Are we willing to make space for the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, or are we allowing busyness and excuses to silence the voice of God within us? — Marino J. Dasmarinas