CONFIDENCE IN FAITHFULNESS
Do not be afraid - God is with you and all will be well.
Advent is a time
for new beginnings and our hope and confidence in our Heavenly Father's faithfulness
to the covenant He made with us His people. 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
called by God to bring hope and deliverance at a time of spiritual challenges
and difficulty 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 to open our 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 gift of hope, peace, and love. Accept this whenever you fear what the
future holds for you.
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 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 and from my mother's womb. You are
my strength.
Points to Pray and Ponder: Worry Balm
Good will prevail
Peace will come
Open your heart
to welcome them
Arlene Gay Levine