More of the details concerning the preparations for Jesus' birth are recounted in today's scripture passage. In this case, the story focuses on the person of Zechariah who was a priest. His wife Elizabeth and he were both righteous persons, having observed all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord (Lk 1:6). He found himself serving before God in the Temple when he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense (Lk 1:9). While the people were praying outside the sanctuary and could not see him, the angel of the Lord appeared to him (Lk 1:11) and explained that he and his wife were to play a part in the unveiling of God's plan.
We too encounter God in the secret moments of our own lives. Hidden from the knowledge of the outside world, God reveals himself to us. Sometimes the plan he reveals can appear to be daunting but it is always meant for good: either for our own growth or for the betterment of others. Zechariah may have been tempted to refuse such an invitation, but the angel's encouragement helped to give him the courage he needed.
Like Zechariah, the Lord also encourages us with the words: Do not be afraid (Lk 1:13). Let us pray today for the grace to surrender our will to that of the Lord, and to give thanks for the courage of our spiritual ancestors who said yes. Because of their faith, we now count Jesus, Jesse and many other figures as part of our own spiritual family tree.
Continuing our journey toward the celebration of Christmas, we hear the third O Antiphon in today's liturgy: O Root of Jesse - the tree of Jesse which pictures Jesse to be the root of the tree and Jesus to be the culmination, sitting atop the tree in the arms of his mother.
This is part of the seven O Antiphons that appear in the liturgy of the Church during these final seven days leading up to the celebration of Christmas.
Have a great day.
No comments:
Post a Comment