Make ready the way of the Lord

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

You have six days left before the world is renewed in the Holy Spirit of God. In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 1:5-22) we hear the story of the birth of John the Baptist. Zechariah, a Jewish priest and father of John drew the lot to burn the incense in temple. This was by random drawing that one would be chosen for this task and would be very rare. You might be selected only once in your entire life to have this great honor if you were lucky. To the Jews, this was like winning the $100 million lottery. While in the temple, Zechariah was visited by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel told him that his wife Elizabeth, who was “barren and advanced in years,” would “bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” Zechariah questioned the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

What would you have done if the angel appeared before you? Would you have questioned the word of God? The passage starts out describing Zechariah and Elizabeth as “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” We know from this passage that they both were very religious and obedient servants of God. So why would Zechariah have doubt? The angel told Zechariah that “your prayer is heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son” and “he will be great before the Lord” and “he will be filled with the Holy Spirit” and “he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God” and “he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” What an overwhelming commandment from God! Could God really give him a child let alone to do all these miraculous things. God silenced Zechariah so he would believe in the gift that was given to him. For nine months, Zechariah was silenced so he could hear the word of God. God also calls us to silence so we can hear his words and know our mission. Take time before Christmas to sit and listen to the Lord and see what gift he has to offer to you. Ask him what he wants from you. Ask him what expectations he has for your life. In complete silence, God will speak to you.

God also used Zechariah’s silence as a sign to others. The passage says, “And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.” This let the people know that a great miracle had happened, but Zechariah could not tell them what it was. They would have to wait and witness it themselves. John, while not conceived of the Holy Spirit like Jesus, had the Holy Spirit in him. His journey from birth was to make ready the way of the Lord. He was to bring all people to God by turning the hearts of “the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.” We too are called to let the Holy Spirit fill our lives so that we can make ready the way of the Lord. For the next six days you job is to bring all people to God by turning the hearts of “the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.”

A Simple Prayer Lord, open my ears so I can hear your words. Allow me to hear what you want me to do. May I make ready the way of the Lord.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon