SERMON/HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT 23RD DECEMBER 2023

SERMON/HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT 23RD DECEMBER 2023

Malachi 3:1-4; 4:5-6; Ps.25; Luke 1:57-66

 “God is Merciful”

When the angel of the Lord visited Zechariah to inform him that the wife will conceive and bear a son, the angel categorically mentioned the name that will be given to the child. The same was true when the angel visited the Blessed Virgin Mary and Joseph in a dream. The choosing of name for John and Jesus is connected to their purpose on earth. Everything about them was speaking about their mission; and so, from the very moment of their birth, their lives radiated their mission.

The name John means “God is merciful” or “God has shown favour”. Indeed the life of John speaks of the mercy of God. In his mercy, God remembered Zechariah and Elizabeth at their old age with the gift of John. She who was once called barren is now playing host to neighbours and relatives who have come to rejoice at her childbirth.

The birth of John also signified the mercy of God to Zechariah the father. It is said that to whom much is given, much is expected. Zechariah was a priest of God and so it was expected that he should be familiar with God and his ways. It therefore became disheartening when he doubted the message of the angel. For this reason, he was to remain dumb until the birth of John; that is to say, when John is born, God will have mercy on Zechariah and forgive him for doubting.

From a wider perspective, the birth of John speaks of the mercy of God to humanity. John preached repentance to the people so that the Lord’s coming will find them prepared. It is someone whom you love that you will call to order. So, God calling us to order through John means that in John, we experienced the mercy of God. It is the will of God that all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

John’s birth speaks of God’s purposefulness in creation. God does not create out of impulse; and so, each and every one of us must remain conscious of the fact that the Lord sends us. Even more, we are called today, to pay more attention to the upbringing of children. The early beginning of a child is not negligible. The sooner a child is introduced into the right way of living, the better. It is not enough to feed children, we must consciously train them.