A TIME TO BE SILENT, A TIME TO SHOUT
Saturday in the 3rd Week of Advent
Lk 1:57-66
His father could not speak, but he would, in due time, become the spokesman of God. His father was mute, but when the Messiah was near, he would shout in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight His paths! The kingdom of heaven is near!” His father wrote his name on a tablet, and when Christ appeared, he would point to the Lamb of God.
The birth of John the Baptist broke the silence of Zechariah. Yes, it also broke the long silence of God. The name “John” means “God’s graciousness”. He was God’s graciousness to his parents, to the Jews, and to us as well. Let tongues be loosened to shout: “God is good all the time! And all the time, God is good!”
Christmas day is barely two days away; there will surely be a lot of noise to welcome it. What with all the partying and merry making! But the original Christmas was preceded by silence and greeted by the song of the angels.
It was silent in Bethlehem before Jesus was born until the silence was broken by His baby cry and the angelic voices. It was silent in the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth before John was circumcised until the neighbors and friends came, who to their surprise heard Zechariah spoke again. It was silent when the angel Gabriel visited Mary until Mary visited Elizabeth and both spoke in praise of God. Silence, very often, precedes the great things that God does. Let us not forget to enter into the silence of God this Christmas, no matter how merry we make it.
And when the time to be silent is over, shout: “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel! He has come to His people and set them free….”
Lk 1:57-66
His father could not speak, but he would, in due time, become the spokesman of God. His father was mute, but when the Messiah was near, he would shout in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight His paths! The kingdom of heaven is near!” His father wrote his name on a tablet, and when Christ appeared, he would point to the Lamb of God.
The birth of John the Baptist broke the silence of Zechariah. Yes, it also broke the long silence of God. The name “John” means “God’s graciousness”. He was God’s graciousness to his parents, to the Jews, and to us as well. Let tongues be loosened to shout: “God is good all the time! And all the time, God is good!”
Christmas day is barely two days away; there will surely be a lot of noise to welcome it. What with all the partying and merry making! But the original Christmas was preceded by silence and greeted by the song of the angels.
It was silent in Bethlehem before Jesus was born until the silence was broken by His baby cry and the angelic voices. It was silent in the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth before John was circumcised until the neighbors and friends came, who to their surprise heard Zechariah spoke again. It was silent when the angel Gabriel visited Mary until Mary visited Elizabeth and both spoke in praise of God. Silence, very often, precedes the great things that God does. Let us not forget to enter into the silence of God this Christmas, no matter how merry we make it.
And when the time to be silent is over, shout: “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel! He has come to His people and set them free….”
posted by Fr. Bobby @ 4:00 PM
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