CONFIDENCE IN FAITHFULNESS
Do not be
afraid, God is with you and all will be well.
Advent is a time
for new beginnings and strengthening our hope and confidence in our heavenly
Father's faithfulness to the Covenant He has made with us. In preparing the way
for a Savior, we see the wondrous miracle of two barren couples who conceive
and bear sons - Samson in the Old Testament and John the Baptist in the New
Testament. They are both called by God to bring hope and deliverance during a
time of spiritual challenges and difficulties for the People of God.
God's angelic
messenger greeted Zechariah with much blessing beyond his expectations.
"Your prayer is heard! You will have a son! And his mission will be great
for all of Israel." The angel wisely put Zechariah in his place before
God's mighty action. When God draws us into His presence, He wants us to come
before Him with open minds and hearts so we can totally listen to His voice as
He speaks to our hearts and reveals His truth to us.
Our faith provides
very clear instructions for those of us who worry about things to come: Do not
be afraid, God is with you and all will be well. Each generation prays for
protection from anxiety, and in return God, through His Son Jesus, offers us
the gifts of hope, peace and love. Accept these whenever you fear what the
future holds for you.
When announcing the
birth of John the Baptist, the angel explains to Zechariah the role his son
will play in preparing the way for the Messiah. John will be great in the sight
of God. He will live as a person set apart for the Lord. He will be filled with
the Holy Spirit even in his mother's womb. 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 "anew and alive," all to His
promises.
In today's
Responsorial Psalm we prayed for this truth: "For You are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth. On You I depend from birth; from my mother's
womb You are my strength" (Ps 71:5-6).
I will end with
this poem by Arlene Gay Levine:
Worry Balm
Good will prevail
Peace will come
Open your heart
to welcome them