December 19 (2020-2021)

FOCUS:

Trusting in God’s plan gives us great blessings, and in turn blesses the world around us.

Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth both trusted in the providence of God, and they were rewarded with sons who would bear great influence on their worlds. Zechariah struggled with understanding, but never ceased his faith in or ministry to God in the Temple. He was richly blessed (later) in the birth of his son. Trusting in God allows him to shower us with blessings, which bear fruit for us and the world.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

In the first reading, an angel visits the wife of Manoah and tells her she will conceive and bear a son. Her son, Samson, was blessed by the Lord. In the Gospel, the angel Gabriel tells Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth will bear a son. Zechariah questions how this could happen, so he is made mute for his doubt.

Homily

Today we hear about Zechariah. He was a godly man who was tuned in to God’s voice. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” God’s angelic messenger greeted Zechariah with a blessing beyond his expectations. “Your prayer is heard!” Imagine that: an Angel came to confirm to him that his prayer is heard. But of course, we don’t need an Angel to verify that: God always listens to our prayers!

Zechariah and his wife had grown old, but had never stopped praying. They knew that God listens to our prayer and that we should never give up, for it is never too late for God to answer to them.

I don’t know If you read or watch the Lord of the Rings - it is a great story. It is written by J. R. R. Tolkien. Once He described The Lord of the Rings as "a fundamentally religious and Catholic work. If you will have a chance read it or watch. You will enjoy it.

There is a scene where Gandalf (the wizard) visits Frodo (Hobbit) Frodo tells to Gandalf that He is late the wizard replies: “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.”

Gandalf is the symbol of Christ, of God.

So we could say this. Christ is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.”

God has perfect timing, never early, never late. God is never in a hurry, but he is always on time.

Today in the liturgy we mention the next Messianic Title - one of the seven great advent Antiphons which we have just before Christmas.

‘O Root of Jesse!’

(This can also be sung to the melody “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”)

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s stem, From every foe deliver them That trust Thy mighty power to save, And give them victory o’er the grave.

It reminds us the many generations of the ancestors of Jesus - time passed and people were waiting and waiting - until The Son of God appeared. As Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.” (Galatians 4:4–5, NLT)

We should never doubt that God will answer to our prayers, we should never give up, for it is never too late for God to answer to them.

He is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.”

UNIVERSAL PRAYER

PRIEST: Let us approach the throne of our loving Father, and offer our petitions to him.

1) For the Church, may the Lord look graciously upon her needs as she prepares for the coming of Christ, let us pray to the Lord.

2) For the world, may the promise of this Advent season be a guiding light for all, let us pray to the Lord.

3) For couples dealing with infertility, may the Lord fill them with love and strength, let us pray to the Lord.

4) For the educators in our community, may truth, goodness, and beauty be their guide in teaching their students, let us pray to the Lord.

5) For the deceased members of our families, may the love of Christ welcome them to eternal life, let us pray to the Lord.

6) (Special petition/s)

PRIEST: God in heaven, we ask that you hear our prayers that we make through Christ our Lord.