The Power of Faith and Love: A Heart-to-Heart Encounter with God

The contrast is obvious between Mary, who had faith, and Zechariah (…), who doubted, and did not believe the angel’s promise and therefore is left dumb until John’s birth. (…) This episode helps us to interpret the mystery of man’s encounter with God in a very special light. An encounter that is not characterized by astonishing miracles, but rather, is characterized by faith and charity: (…) without faith one remains inevitably deaf to the consoling voice of God; and incapable of speaking words of consolation and hope to our brothers and sisters. We see it every day: when people who have no faith, or who have very little faith, have to approach a person who is suffering, they speak words suited to the occasion, but they do not manage to touch the heart because they have no strength. (…) Faith, in its turn, is nourished by charity. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 23 December 2018)

SOURCE: Word of the Day (Vatican News)

Zechariah’s Disbelief: How the Father of the Forerunner Was Silenced

We recall two advents and two angelic messages during the Advent season, namely, the advent of John the Baptist and the Advent of Jesus. The first is preceded by the Archangel Gabriel’s informing Zechariah the aged priest that a son, whom he is to name John, will be born to him and his barren, aged wife. The second is preceded by the Archangel Gabriel’s message to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph, asking her consent to become the mother of Jesus. Today’s Gospel describes how Zechariah receives the Divine message from the Archangel Gabriel in the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem while making the offering of incense. 

Zechariah was one of the 1800 priests serving the Temple of Jerusalem. They were divided into 24 groups of 75 each. Thirty priests of each group were to serve the Temple for worship services each day and only one of them got the yearly chance of offering incense in front of the hidden Holy of Holies. It was while performing this priestly function that Zechariah received the vision of the angel who told him that his long-prayed-for son would be born of Elizabeth, that Zechariah was to name the boy John, and then described in detail  how that child was to be raised and what he would do. Disbelieving, Zechariah demanded a sign of the angel who responded, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the Presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Lk 1:19-20.

Life Message

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We should not take our small misfortunes as big tragedies. We should imitate Zechariah who remained optimistic, continuing in prayer and service in the Temple. We need to get rid of the barrenness of our heart, cleanse it daily, liberate it from evil attachments, and prepare it for the rebirth of Jesus.

SOURCE: Fr. Tony’s Homilies

“Your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall name him John”

(v 13)

Mary’s kinswoman Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were of advanced age and were childless. Zechariah was of the priestly division of Abijah, the eighth of the twenty-four divisions of priests, and he was chosen by lot to serve in the Jerusalem Temple. While he was burning incense in the sanctuary, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of a son to him. The child would be named John, meaning “Yahweh is Gracious.” John had been chosen by God to be a prophet who would turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord (Mal 3:23). Zechariah questioned the validity of the promise, and because he doubted the divine messenger, he was made mute until the birth of his son. Paradoxically, John would be God’s “voice” announcing the coming of the Messiah.

REFLECTING: Am I a messenger of good news to others?
PRAYING: Lord God, help me to believe the words you speak to me.​

SOURCE: Together with God’s Word