Reflection on the Gospel of the Thursday In The Fourth Week Of Advent |
Luke 1:57-66 |
Zechariah and Elizabeth were abundantly blessed by the Lord for their humble relationship and service. In spite of difficult situations, the Lord was graciously kind to them. The gift of John the Baptist is just one example, of His kindness to them.
The birth of John and the miracle at circumcision event was acknowledged by neighbours and people discussed it all throughout the country of Judea. People had experienced God’s hand in this event, but we also know there was silence for many years, before this. No prophet had delivered any message from God for four hundred years and here was an unique experience of God talking to people through an event. It was in a way an alert/sign for the people of the coming of the Messiah. People must have brought forth before their mind the memories of the past from salvation history, must have in the least thought of preparing for the coming Messiah. John’s birth events themselves prepare a way for the Messiah. It was a hint of the coming kingdom of God being at hand. Especially the wise and the learned read the sign of the time but had their own reservations. John the Baptist was from birth to death a perfect pointer to Jesus. He humbly fulfilled the specific mission given to him and did not over do it. Are we ready to accept the blessings and kindness shown to us? Are we humble in our relationship with God? Are we ready to accept the role given to us? even if it is as easy and small as just pointing to Jesus and not doing anything else…
Holy Spirit help us in our prayers of praise and thanks. Help us to be humble and willing to accept even the small work in building your kingdom.
One Response
The Birth of John the Baptist is a key factor to the birth of Jesus. John The Baptist was 6 months older than Jesus. Zacharias ministering for 2 weeks in his course. Luk 1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, Luk 1:9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. Luk 1:23 The Course of Abijah was the eighth week from the beginning of Nisan. It occurred the third week of May (See The Course of Abijah Points to the Birth of Christ). Luke Chapter 1 already established the time of his birth by the Course of Abijah during the reign of Herod. Chapter 1 ends with the birth of John in March 5 BC. And since Mary conceived in the sixth month of Elizabeth, we can project six months from March to the birth of Jesus in September 5 BC. Luke Chapter 2 explains the birth of Jesus in the context of the role that the census played in his birth.