Gospel Lk 1:57-66, 80
When the time arrived forElizabethto have her child she gave birth to a son and when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness 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 discussed throughout the hill country ofJudea. 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. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation toIsrael.
Homily
The story is told of the mother of twin boys who was told that she would lose the children and her life if she carried the babies to term. Woman of faith that she was, she carried the babies to term. The twin boys both lived as did she. Imagine the great rejoicing of her husband family and friends. The Lord had indeed shown her a great kindness. The greatness of the Lord’s kindness to her was seen however when these twin boys were grown, one a priest, the other an outstanding member of the community
It may accomplish them feel abominable generic cialis my link and incapable. The treatment with viagra tablets 20mg http://www.donssite.com/truckphoto/ drugs is indeed referred to as a good hyperactivity indication, it may well turn into a problem. Some two-tier systems – where you the affiliate earn cash by signing up cheapest viagra tablets further affiliates – can work, but don’t be suckered by exaggerated claims. Both men and canadian viagra store women have androgen and estrogen receptors. I remembered that story when I began to read the gospel passage for this Sunday, the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. Elizabeth, John’s mother was barren and well past the age of childbearing when the angel appeared to Zechariah her husband and announced the birth of the child. Zechariah, the priest, doubted as would most of us in similar circumstances. “How can I be sure of this?” he asked the announcing angel. “I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”Elizabethhowever believed and put herself completely at God’s disposal. The result was the Lord’s kindness to her, shown both in the birth of the boy and in his life as John the baptizer. God is always able to turn barrenness into fruitfulness. In this case, the barrenness ofElizabethbecame the fruitfulness of both Elizabeth and John the baptizer.Elizabeth’s fruitfulness was seen in the birth of a child. John the baptizer’s fruitfulness, because “the hand of the Lord was with him” was seen in those converted by his call to a baptism of repentance. All of this, because Elizabeth, the woman of faith, believed that the Lord would fulfill his promise to her.
This story is repeated so often in human history; dreams which seemed impossible have been accomplished because of the faith of the most unlikely individuals. God has turned barrenness into fertile fields. So often however we are like Zechariah. We are good individuals, as was said of Zechariah, we may be righteous in the sight of the Lord, but we so often ask for proof. We often tell God; “Give me some assurance.” We do not take his word. The mother with whom I began this story took God at his word. She refused to abort her babies in order to save her own life. She and her husband were people of faith. God showed them great kindness and God will also show us great kindness if we are people of faith, if we believe God’s promises to us. God can turn our barrenness into fertility.
This is in fact how all the saints lived. The saints who founded great works and institutions were not persons of great wealth; they were never considered great in the eyes of the world before they began their works. They had one thing in common however. They all trusted that God could change their barrenness in fertility. They believed God’s promises to them. Saints like mother Teresa and John Bosco began their works with nothing to their names. They believed the promises of God however and God showed great kindness to them in having their works and institutions prosper. God will show great kindness to us also in the measure that we believe the promises that God makes to us.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, we see you changing dry land into streams, infertility into fertility, barrenness into fruitfulness and still we doubt. We doubt your love for us, we doubt that we are good enough to be considered by YOU as being worthy of your help and grace. Give us the grace to believe your promises Lord, help us to recognize that your love us as your sons and daughters. Help us to believe that YOU want us to be fruitful . We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son in whom you changed death into life, and through Mary our mother. Amen
