Today's readings give us a lot to think about in the midst of our Advent journey, with Christmas less than a week away. The psalmist prays today, “Lord, be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.” As we prepare our hearts for the birth of Christ, from what do we need to be rescued, from what do we need to find safety? We may be so caught up in the busy whirlwind of the holiday season, in the materialism of our modern secular culture and all the parties and gatherings we are attending this time of the year, so much so that the stillness and solitude that we want to find in our relationship with God may be missing in our lives. The message of hope and salvation that we find in the birth of our Lord may be so detached from the busy reality of our daily lives that we do not feel the joy in our hearts that should be a part of this holy season.
We hear about Zechariah's encounter with the Angel Gabriel in our Gospel today. Zechariah questions Gabriel's announcement of the impending birth of his son, who will grow up to be John the Baptist. Although Zechariah was a holy priest who blamelessly followed God's commandments, he was made silent by God in order to reflect upon what the angel had told him. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth rejoices at how the Lord has taken away the humiliation she had suffered for having been barren for so many years. What are those things we need to ponder and reflect upon in our lives? Is there any barrenness in our life of faith that is in need of God's grace?
As we enter the final days of Advent in our preparation for Christ’s birth, may our hearts be filled with joy and gladness, may we find refuge in the Lord. May we hear his voice crying out to us in the darkness.
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