December 19, 2014 Friday, 3rd Week of Advent
1st Reading: Jdg 13:2–7, 24–25a Gospel: Lk 1:5–25
Now, while Zechariah and those with him were fulfilling their office, it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priests, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. At the time of offering incense all the people were praying outside; it was then that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. On seeing the angel, Zechariah was deeply troubled and fear took hold of him.
But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, be assured that your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John. He will bring joy and gladness to you and many will rejoice at his birth.
He himself will open the way to the Lord with the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah; he will reconcile fathers and children, and lead the disobedient to wisdom and righteousness, in order to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I believe this? I am an old man and my wife is elderly, too.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I am the one sent to speak to you and bring you this good news! My words will come true in their time. But you would not believe and now you will be silent and unable to speak until this has happened.”
Meanwhile the people waited for Zechariah, and they were surprised that he delayed so long in the sanctuary. When he finally appeared, he could not speak to them and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He remained dumb and made signs to them.
When his time of service was completed, Zechariah returned home and some time later Elizabeth became pregnant. For five months she kept to herself, remaining at home, and thinking, “What is the Lord doing for me! This is his time for mercy and for taking away my public disgrace.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
At a Golden wedding anniversary dinner the husband begins his speech in this manner: “Fifty years ago today, I was thirty and my wife was thirty two”. Husband and wife end the day with a big fight because to the wife’s hearing, the husband was saying: “Fifty years ago today, I was dirty and my wife was dirty too!”
Listening is essential to communion. Zechariah heard the message of the angel but did not get the meaning because he failed to listen. He failed to listen because the seeming impossibility of the Angel’s message locked him up in utter disbelief. Listening is emptying the heart of biases and making room for the message heard. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website:www.frdan.org.
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