A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her childshe gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heardthat the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,but his mother said in reply,“No. He will be called John.” But they answered her,“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”and all were amazed.Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,and he spoke blessing God.Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussedthroughout the hill country of Judea.All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,“What, then, will this child be?For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
REFLECTION
"Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,and he spoke blessing God."
When Zechariah was struck mute was it because of pride: not submitting humbly in obedience to God? Or lack of faith, not believing what God had revealed to him?
Thus, Zechariah was punished.
Was it out of spite? Was God angry with him? Was God vindictive?
But God is good, kind and loving. All His punishments here on earth are gifts of grace. Whether Zechariah needed this "time out" to reflect on his relationship with God or he needed to thank God for this miracle that he could not believe God could do? Or was he to think what kind of a special child John was meant to be? Maybe he was to think about what he had just said to the Archangel?
I have been in such a situation as Zechariah; no, I did not have an angel appear to me, but I have doubted God, questioned Him and in fact been angry with Him, saying the famous catch all saying," Why me?"
We all learn from our mistakes and thanks to God He allows us to redo or to be a better person if the same situation arises again. There are times that our sins have consequences and there are times we wonder, where am I now, what am I to do, where is God and why did He allow this to happen?
"John is his name" wrote Zechariah and his tongue was freed, and he spoke, blessing God. God sometimes has to stop us in our tracks to set us straight. And for this we thank Him.
As for me, I have learned to rest in His heart and to say the BJ prayer every and any time I feel despair, doubt, worry, or that my way must be better than His. Every time, though with some encounters, He deals with punishment, He comforts and consoles me and gives me the best present ever: peace.
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