4th Day of Simbang Gabi 2011

December 19, 2011
St. Peter/Holy Cross
Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

And there appeared to Zechariah an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechari'ah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechari'ah, 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 Eli'jah, 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 Zechari'ah 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 Zechari'ah, 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."

Our Gospel can give us three points to ponder upon today.

1st, God works in a mysterious way. Zechariah, in the ordinariness of his life, did not expect that something extra-ordinary would happen. An angel appeared to him and announced that God heard his prayer. Though he and his wife were already old to have a child, yet their age could not hinder God to give them a child of their own.

2nd, man has greater doubts than his trust in the Lord. Zechariah was a godly man. He was a priest! He was privileged to be chosen to enter the inner court of the temple to offer sacrifice to God. Yet his role or office did not assure him of a total trust in God. He questioned what good God could do to him. Here, it shows man really wants to have what he desires according to how it has to happen that he fails to consider that God knows best on how things should happen. 

3rd, in every good thing one receives, God's name must be praised.  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." Good things happen not because people deserve it but because God is good. And it is but proper to praise Him for the many blessings one has received from God. 

These three points can help us reflect that we celebrate Christmas because we believe that God will continue to do great things for us in a mysterious way. We therefore have to be open-minded and open-hearted to the leadings of God's spirit working in us. And in this season, we have more reasons to remember the workings of God in us and praise Him with all our heart, mind and soul.

Let me end with a story.
 
In a certain locality, there is one huge bamboo. It stands tall compared to other standing tress. When people pass by, they are impressed by it's magnificence but other trees are envious of her grandeur.

One day the owner of the land went to the place where the bamboo is located. He approached the bamboo and asked her, "Bamboo, do you love me?" The bamboo replied, "Yes, I do love you." The man said, "Since you Love me, can I possibly cut you down?" The bamboo was so stunned and yet because of her love she said, "Yes." The envious trees were laughing altogether because there would be no more reason for them to get envious because the bamboo is already cut down and the passers-by would no longer behold her grandeur.
The man cut the bamboo into two pieces afterwards. At the time, it was summer. It was hot and humid. And the man made the bamboo into a drainage in which water from the river would flow to supply water to people in the village. It brought a great relief to all.