Reading of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
(Lk 1, 57-66. 80)
The time has come for Elizabeth to give birth. And gave birth to a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had abundantly shown her kindness, they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day, they gather to circumcise the boy. They wanted to call him by his father’s name – Zaharija, but his mother objected: “By no means, but he will be called Ivan!” They said to her: “There is no one of your relatives who would be called that.” Then, with signs, they asked the father what name he wanted to call him. He asked for the plate and wrote: “His name is Ivan!” Everyone was amazed, and his mouth and tongue were suddenly opened and he spoke, blessing God.
Fear gripped all their neighbors, and all these events were announced all over the Judean Highlands. And all who heard thought about it, wondering: “What will become of this child?” Indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
However, the boy grew and became stronger in spirit. He stayed in the desert until the day of his public appearance before Israel.
Word of God.
You know, dear, the specialty of St. John… teaches us and brings up humility, but true humility, as well as the very joy that St. We witness John the Baptist still in the womb of his holy mother Elizabeth. And she gave birth to a son. After so many years of faithfulness, devotion, effort and effort… being God’s, a relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she no longer clicks alone with joy, but as she herself testifies: the baby dances in my womb.
That child had to go through a difficult life path for Holiness. This child makes it clear to us how to be grateful to the Lord for the gift of life, for the Love that God gives us. Imagine the greatness of one man, one Baptist, who bears witness to the living Love of God for his own Son – the Chosen One, the Beloved… and even for his entire people, God’s people, Israel. They were surprised that the choice of a life name by the parents – Zaharije, Elizabeta… did not go in any order. They were very surprised, how at the very mention of the name… at the very inscription Zacharias spoke, since his mouth and tongue opened in his mind.
Like St. Elizabeth, and St. Zaharije, we are invited to notice the specialness of St. John and to bless each other even more… to bless God in others, noticing his Closeness and his Walk with his own sons and daughters. Later we come to what St. John the Baptist grew and grew stronger in spirit… he stayed in the desert and that tells us everything about simplicity and uniqueness.
Oh, happiness and consolation, when the parental power of blessing bears holy fruit… the fruit of the very holiness of the child itself.
Source:
- Holy choir for worship (1991.); Red Čitanja, Svetačka Čitanja, Kršćanska sadašnjost, Zagreb