Tuesday, December 24, 2013
4th Week of Advent 1st Reading: 2 S 7:1–5, 8b–12, 14a, 16
Gospel: Lk 1:67–79
Zechariah, filled with holy spirit, sang this canticle, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has come and redeemed his people. He has raised up for us a victorious Savio in the house of David his servant, as he promised through his prophets of old, salvation from our enemies and from the hand of our foes. He has shown mercy to our fathers and remembered his holy covenant, the oath he swore to Abraham, our father, to deliver us from the enemy, that we might serve him fearlessly as a holy and righteous people all the days of our lives. And you, my child, shall be called prophet of the Most High, for you shall go before the Lord to prepare the way for him and enable his people to know of their salvation when he comes to forgive their sins. This is the work of the mercy of our God, who comes from on high as a rising sun shining on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, and guiding our feet into the way of peace.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Lack of faith does not impede God’s plan but the loss of it does. A person lacking in faith still believes in God though he doubts about his willingness to intervene in certain difficult situations. But a person who has lost faith slams the door of his heart before God. I once asked a friend if he is still close to God. He shook his head and said “No, not close but closed to God”. It was then that I understood he had shut his heart to God and abandoned his faith totally. Zechariah’s case illustrates what lack of faith is and what loss of faith is not. He doubted about God’s initiative to do something about their shameful situation of childlessness. (Barrenness in Biblical times was frowned upon as a curse from the heavens). But not all doubts are strong enough to keep the heart shut. In the case of Zechariah, as soon as he saw God’s plan unfolding while watching in silence as a mute observer, his faith boiled up and the pressure of the resulting steam was strong enough to swing open his heart and his mouth. When he regained his power of speech his first words were praises to God for his marvelous intervention. While we seldom meet faithless people today, those whose faith is weak are many. Zechariah’s case is thus relevant if we still want to remain God’s faithful servants. In moments where faith is in crisis the better thing to do is to shut up and remain open to God’s surprises. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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