Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

God works even in the midst of our difficult circumstances

 

 

Good morning, happy Wednesday, and many blessings.

 

Today’s Gospel is from Luke 1:57-66. However, in chapters 1 and 2 of his Gospel, Luke describes the announcement of the birth of two little ones, John, and Jesus, who will occupy a very important place in the realization of God’s plan. What God begins in the Old Testament starts to be realized through them. This is why, in these two chapters, Luke presents many facts and people of the Old Testament and succeeds in imitating the style of the Old Testament. This is in order to show that with the birth of these two little boys history makes a 180 degree turn. The time of the fulfilment of the promises of God begins through John and Jesus, with the collaboration of their parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, and Mary and Joseph.

 

In other words, today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, a rare distinction he shares with Jesus. Like many Old Testament figures who played an important role in the history of our salvation, John is born to a sterile woman, in her old age. Our salvation is all God's work. Our world is too self-sufficient to admit we need a savior, but the present situation, with so much violence and pain in relationships, may perhaps move more of us to ask God to save us. Although he does not save us without our collaboration, it is his will that the world be saved, have a happy ending.

 

Zechariah had been struck dumb owing to his resistance to God’s work in bringing his son into the world: his wife Elizabeth had accepted the late-in-life burden/joy!

 

Now Zechariah has learned what God is doing in bringing these two children into the world: the one to announce the Savior and the other to save his people. Luke’s Gospel loves to note how the news spread all around the countryside: it’s a feature of his experience of being a Christian.

 

In our time of weakness, we are no different than Zachariah, or John the Baptist We doubt the grace of God. We doubt the love of God. Nothing would satisfy us more than to have Jesus appear right in front of us to convince us that he is here, that his grace is with us, and that he loves us, but then we would not have faith, we would have proof.

 

Zechariah’s Song challenges us to expect God to work even in the middle of our present difficult circumstances. We do this by looking back at the actions of God, and then looking forward to the promises of God.

 

In moments when we are tired or sick, mistaken ideas place doubtful thoughts in our minds. Those are the moments when we must persevere the most in our faith, those are the moments when we must pray for each other.

 

Faith is a gift, it cannot be earned, it cannot be bought, it is a gift from God. We should thank God for the gift of faith that he has given to us, and never cease to ask God for growth in our faith, in our trust, and in our understanding of who He is.

 

Blessings,

 

Fr. Luis+

Date news: 
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - 10:30

Ministry at the time of Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevent, cure and accompany

Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.

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