Homily: Fifth Friday of Advent

Fifth Friday of Advent (Luke 1:57-66) “It Can Be”

We never know what is going on in someone’s heart. We never know when a person is going to have a Metanoia. Metanoia is a word that means to change the way one looks at life. A lot of Advent-Christmas words reflect this sort of change. We can think of the word Epiphany. Epiphany means to come to a new realization. But can we look at another person and judge what they are thinking or believing? We can’t. Only God can see what is going on in someone’s psyche.

This whole reality is played out in the story of Zechariah. When we read about Zechariah at the beginning of the infancy narratives in the Gospel of Luke, we hear how he is shocked by the appearance of the angel in the Temple. The angel tells him that the child he and his wife have been praying for from the beginning of their lives together is going to be born. This prayer is answered long after it should have been. Zechariah and his wife are elderly. So, he asks how this can be.

He asks the same question that Mary asks when the Angel Gabriel appears to her. How can this be? Yet, Zechariah is struck dumb. Mary is said to be full of grace. The two of them seem to have the same doubts, but one is silenced the other is complimented.

The key to understanding is what Gabriel says to Zechariah. “But now you will be mute-unable to speak-until the day these things take place, because you have not trusted my words.” Deep in her soul Mary trusted God and God’s plan. Deep in his soul Zechariah had doubts. He had to learn to trust.

Zechariah did learn to trust over his nine months of being mute. He did not get mad at God. No, he understood that God was acting on his behalf. He learned that even his muteness was really a blessing because he learned something about God’s love. He also learned about prayer and how it is answered. In the end he saw that God is gracious. He named his John which means “God is gracious.”

Reflection Questions:

1.    Have I been surprised by someone’s faith? Who? When?

2.   Why did I think they did not have faith? What did this show me?

 Dear Parishioners,

           During the next week I will be taking a break from my daily posts. Like Zechariah I will be keeping silence. This will be a blessing for me and for you. I will resume posts on January 2nd.

          Remember that the Christmas celebration does not end on Christmas Day, but it lasts for the eight days between Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary. We will be having at least one Mass every day. These are holy days and help us to prolong the Christmas joy that we feel. Come to daily Mass and bring a friend with you.

          May Our Lady, watch over our world as we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of her Son.

          Fr. Mark