Daily Reflection – 12/19/2025
Sacred Scripture
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth; for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 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.”
And Zechariah said to 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 stand 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.” 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.
And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying, “Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.” (Luke 1:5-25)
Reflection
The Gospel of Luke opens with a story that is both deeply human and profoundly divine. Zechariah and Elizabeth are described as righteous before God, faithfully walking in His commandments, yet they carry the heavy burden of barrenness. In their culture, childlessness was seen as a reproach, a mark of shame. Still, they remained steadfast in their devotion. Into this quiet perseverance, God breaks in with a promise that seems impossible: Elizabeth will bear a son, John, who will prepare the way for the Lord.
Zechariah’s response is understandable. He questions how such a miracle could occur given their advanced age. His doubt is met with silence, a divinely imposed pause that forces him to reflect, to listen, and to wait. In that silence, God’s promise begins to unfold. Elizabeth conceives, and her words echo with gratitude: “Thus the Lord has done to me… to take away my reproach among men.”
This passage invites us to consider the places of barrenness in our own lives. Perhaps our faith has felt sterile this past year. Our prayers may have been routine, our hopes dashed by disappointments, our trust weakened by unanswered petitions. Like Zechariah, we may find ourselves asking, “How shall I know this?” How can we believe that God will bring life where we see only emptiness?
Advent answers that question. It is the season when God reminds us that He specializes in bringing fertility out of sterility, hope out of despair, and joy out of silence. Just as Elizabeth’s womb was opened, so too can our hearts be opened to receive the miracle of Christ’s coming. Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas; it is an invitation to let God work miracles within us, transforming our doubt into faith and our barrenness into fruitfulness.
Yet many of us struggle to “feel” Christmas. We chase after the nostalgia of childhood, longing for the magic of simpler days. But Christmas is not about recapturing the past. It is about rediscovering faith in the present. Children believe instinctively—believe that gifts will come, that joy will arrive, that love will be shared. As adults, our faith must mature, but it must also retain that childlike trust. We believe that God has given us His Son, that He is with us in every circumstance, and that His love can break through even in the darkest moments.
That breakthrough may not come wrapped in tinsel or tradition. It may arrive in a fleeting moment: a stranger’s kindness, a spouse’s gentle touch, a burst of laughter in the midst of sorrow, or a quiet prayer answered in an unexpected way. These are the moments when God reminds us that He is real, that we are loved, and that His joy is near.
Christmas, then, is not confined to December 25th. It is whenever God’s love pierces our lives and awakens us to His presence. If you have not yet felt the spirit of the season, do not be afraid to look for it—not in nostalgia, but in faith. For Christmas is found wherever God’s love breaks through,
Prayer of The Day
“Lord Jesus, you bring hope and restoration to your people. Restore and strengthen Christian family life today. Help me to love and serve my family. May your love rule in all my relationships and remove any barriers to peace and harmony.”
Daily Note
In the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist, the angel explains to Zechariah the role his son is to play in preparing the way for the Messiah. John will be great in the sight of God. He will live as a Nazarite (see Numbers 6) – a person set apart for the Lord. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even within his mother’s womb. And he shall be sent to the people of God, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers and children to God and one another, by turning the “disobedient to the wisdom of the just.” The name John means “the Lord is gracious”. When God acts to save us he graciously fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes our faith “alive” to his promises. Do you pray that “the hearts of parents and children may be turned to God and one another”?
