Faith-filled Hearts!

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Jgs 13:2-7,24-25; Lk 1:5-25

Today’s Gospel invites us to reexamine our faith in the light of Zechariah’s example. 

How often do we realize that faith (in God and humans) gives meaning to life? 

Here, I am reminded of a story. Due to some financial emergency, a daily laborer went up to his manager requesting the entire week’s salary in advance. But the manager was unrelenting and asked the laborer how he could trust him with his money. But the laborer said, ‘Though I have worked for three days already, I haven’t claimed my salary until now. You can trust me with your money just as I have trusted you with mine.’

Emptiness rules life in the absence of faith in God or people. 

As regards our spiritual life, it is our strong faith that manifests itself in our prayers. 

The example of Zechariah invites us to reexamine the quality of our faith that should fill our prayers.

Zechariah is a priest of God. Since he serves at the altar of God, his faith in God is beyond doubt. 

However, a priest of God who desired the gift of a child from God does not seem to understand that God would function in mysterious and unimaginable ways to grant his wish.

We must note that though the questions of Zechariah and Mary were similar, something more is expected of the priest of God than the ordinary village girl. As such, Zechariah is punished with dumbness till the birth of his child. 

To put the case differently, there is a difference between a child breaking glassware out of playfulness and an adult doing the same through his/her carelessness.

Zechariah’s example teaches that our prayers are more meaningful if they manifest our strong faith in God. 

We need to reexamine our faith, especially as we are about to welcome the Divine Child. 

Let us pray that the Divine Child may receive the gifts of our faith-filled hearts.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar