Category Archives: daily scripture

What Will This Child Be?

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Malachi 3: 1-4, 23-24
Luke 1: 57-66

Parents often put pictures of their newborn children on their Christmas cards. And we all take great delight in baby pictures, especially when their parents are related to us even distantly.

That’s why the scene described in today’s gospel is so familiar – we hear of friends and relatives gathered to welcome a new baby. This particular baby is a special gift because he arrived long after his parents had given up any hope of having a child. In fact his father was struck dumb for refusing to believe the angel who announced this miracle of nature. As Zechariah affirms that the child is to be named John, his tongue is loosened and he starts to praise God. His joy and the wonder it engenders among his relatives and neighbors is infectious –they can talk of nothing else. “What will this child be?” they keep asking.

It’s probably just as well they couldn’t foresee the future or answer their own questions. They might have been pleased to know that John became a holy man who turned his peoples’ hearts to God, but they would have found no delight in the fact that Herod would have his head.

Our families, as they gazed in wonder at our faces for the first time, also probably speculated about our future. And I suppose most of us have to admit it’s just as well that at least some of our future was hidden from their eyes. But thanks to the cousin whose way John prepared, that future is now filled with the promise of glorious immortality.

With Zechariah and with all the generations of believers before us, we praise our God whose plan we watch unfolding in this holy season. And even though it is marred somewhat by the chaotic times in which we live, we trust, like Zechariah, in “the oath God swore to Abraham our father – that rid of fear and delivered from the enemy, we should serve him devoutly, and through all our days be holy in his sight”.

- Fr. Damian Towey, CP is a member of the community at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center, North Palm Beach, Florida.

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Mary’s Graced Visit to Elizabeth

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Song of Songs 2:8-14
Luke 1:39-45

The evocative scene of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth which Luke draws with words, and a multitude of artists have painted through the centuries, deeply touches our Christian imagination. The physical human experience of childbirth both for the aged Elizabeth and the young Mary is caught up into the mystery of divine grace at work within both of them. Though their children are still in the womb, we sense the good news which John the Baptist will later proclaim when he pointed Jesus out as the Lamb of God in our midst.

“Elizabeth is the first to hear Mary’s voice, but John is the first to be aware of grace. She hears with the ears of the body, but he leaps for joy at the meaning of the mystery. She is aware of Mary’s presence, but he is aware of the Lord’s” (St. Ambrose of Milan).

Elizabeth’s praise of Mary flows from the movement of the Holy Spirit blessing her own child within her. “Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled” (Luke 1:45). Mary’s faith in God’s promise reminds us that we who have heard the good news of the Word made flesh are truly blessed. Perhaps we do not cherish this truth as often and as deeply as we should. Christmas once again this year will remind us that when we believe in Christ Jesus, we too open ourselves to the creative power of the Word of God.

(Father Paul Zilonka, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Preaching Team of St. Paul of the Cross Province).

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Are We There Yet?

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Anunciación de El Greco

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Is 7:10-14
Lk 1:26-38

Only five days till Christmas and counting. For children the question, “Are we there yet?” is born of frustration. Very likely at this point in Advent, adults are beginning to panic. So now is a good time to take a deep breath …. and go back to the beginning.

Luke helps us focus on the upcoming birth of Jesus by drawing us deeper and deeper into the mystery. He begins with God then moves us to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, where the word would become flesh, to Mary, a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph.

Then there is the angel who tells Mary something unbelievable is about to happen. But as the angel, Gabriel’s last words to Mary remind us — “Nothing is impossible with God.”The Annunciation may well be the ultimate expression of hope.

Just as God zeroed in on Mary, He zeroes in on us. And now it is our time to say “yes” to the unbelievable good news. We can do that by leaving behind our fears and with all the wondrous anticipation of children at Christmas, open our hearts and our lives to the birth of our Savior.

- Fr. Paul Ruttle, C.P.

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