“When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John." They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name." Luke 1: 57-61
Reflection - The birth of John the Baptist marks the end of his parents' long and difficult wait for a child, but also the beginning of a life filled with great joy and great sorrow. In an empty desert your prophet John proclaimed: God is here. God has come to bring about a kingdom where injustice and suffering will be no more, where tears will be wiped away, and where those who turn to God will feast at a banquet. Give me faith like John's, O Lord, strong enough to believe even in a desert that you and your kingdom are no farther from me than my hand. Make my heart strong like his, not swayed by trials or snared by false pleasures. Give me courage to be faithful until your promises are fulfilled.
Prayer - O King of all nations, Jesus Christ, only joy of every heart, come and save your people. I pray for my neighbours, my family and my friends give me the faith to be an effective witness. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment