Sisters and brothers in Christ, many years ago, when Theresa and I went through the UNITAS marriage class, one of the sponsor couples said something that is still with me today. He said that one's love for God should be so deep in God's love that when your spouse seeks for your heart, they find God first and falls in love with Him and you. I experienced this with my wife in such a profound way that I felt God's calling me to conversion before our wedding and then Diaconal Formation six years into our marriage.
I had always found it interesting that we always had the Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) women's retreat weekend before the men's retreat weekend because the reasoning was, the women will convince their men to attend the men's retreat weekend after they had gone on theirs. A woman's faith strengthens the faith of the man in her life, especially a wife her husband, and he, in turn, strengthens the faith of their family. We see this in the wives of Manoah and Zechariah in today's readings; they receive the message of God and not only do they believe but they prepare themselves in response to His messages to them.
When God speaks to our hearts and reveals His will to us, it can be a fearful moment, especially if we have difficulty trusting God because of our wounded past or fear having to make changes in our lives to follow His will. As we wind down this season of Advent, if we experience such moments in our life, talk with our loved ones, like Monoah's wife talked with him about her encounter with the angel of the Lord. and support each other with prayers. Help each other to further discern God's will and then work together to respond to follow God's loving plan. We see this in Mary and Saint Joseph's relationship so let us imitate them because, when we open ourselves to God's will, He will fill us with hope, peace, joy, and love.
. . .
Gospel of the Day
In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving as priest
in his division’s turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”
Then Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
And the angel said to him in reply,
“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others.”
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