Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Luke 1: 5-25
December  19, 2025 | Friday

Today’s Gospel

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah, belonging to the priestly clan of Abiah. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, also belonged to a priestly family. Both of them were upright in the eyes of God, and lived blamelessly, in accordance with all the laws and commands of the Lord, but they had no child. Elizabeth could not have any and now they were both very old.

Now, while Zechariah and those with him were fulfilling their office, it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priests, to enter the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. At the time of offering incense, all the people were praying outside; it was then, that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. On seeing the angel, Zechariah was deeply troubled and fear took hold of him.

But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, be assured that your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John. He will bring joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth.

This son of yours will be great in the eyes of the Lord. Listen: he shall never drink wine or strong drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. Through him, many of the people of Israel will turn to the Lord their God. He, himself, will open the way to the Lord, with the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah; he will reconcile fathers and children; and lead the disobedient to wisdom and righteousness, in order to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I believe this? I am an old man and my wife is elderly, too.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God; and I am the one sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news! My words will come true in their time. But you would not believe; and now, you will be silent and unable to speak until this has happened.”

Meanwhile, the people waited for Zechariah; and they were surprised that he delayed so long in the Sanctuary. When he finally appeared, he could not speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the Sanctuary. He remained dumb and made signs to them.

When his time of service was completed, Zechariah returned home; and, some time later, Elizabeth became pregnant. For five months she kept to herself, remaining at home, and thinking, “This, for me, is the Lord’s doing! This is his time for mercy, and for taking away my public disgrace.”

Today’s Reflection

In the Gospel passage, we encounter Elizabeth and Zechariah. They are not only advanced in years; Elizabeth used to be barren, a condition she sees as a disgrace. In a culture that looked upon descendants as a reward for righteousness, childlessness was considered a curse or punishment for sin. Yet, despite these challenges, they remained steadfast in their faith. It is worth noting that both Elizabeth and Zechariah are righteous in the sense that they religiously keep the commands of the Lord. Furthermore, they are people of respect: Zechariah is a priest, and Elizabeth is from the daughters of Aaron (Lk 1:5). By giving birth to John the Baptist, whom Luke considers the turning point in salvation history, Elizabeth and Zechariah usher in a new era in salvation history. They reach the pinnacle of their calling to serve the Lord in their old age. Like that of Abraham, Moses, and Peter, their journey is a testament to the timeless nature of the Lord’s call. Their stories inspire us and remind us that the Lord’s call is not bound by age or physical strength.

Scriptures show that older people are revered and given special missions. However, in today’s world, where the premium is put on usefulness and productivity, old people are easily seen as a burden. This societal view can lead some older adults to feel that they do not have a meaningful role to play. Children would rather surf the internet or immerse themselves in social media like FB and Instagram than listen to their grandparents. However, the Gospel passage shows that old people, represented by Elizabeth and Zechariah, have something invaluable to contribute to the Church. In fact, many old people have become the ‘lifeblood’ of the parishes, their wisdom and experience enriching the community. This is a call for us to reflect on how we value and treat our older adults and to recognize the unique contributions they can make to our faith communities.

/Vulnerasti, 2025