God is gracious
In today’s gospel we hear the familiar story of the birth of John: the cousin of Jesus, precursor of the Messiah, the preacher, and the Baptist. “He will be called John” in the written words of Zechariah. For Elizabeth and Zechariah this was an act of obedience — an act that broke tradition and took Zechariah nine months to muster the confidence to proclaim.
Having a child at what was considered an advanced age was rare, and the circumstances — known only to the parents — were miraculous. John means “God is gracious,” and his new parents accepted their child as a gift not just to them, but to all who would hear his message. When God calls us to be open to great things, we are called to obedience in word and deed.
The passage also reminds us of how cultural norms and conventions can be difficult to challenge. When John’s name was announced, the immediate response was one of reprimand. Just as Zechariah and Elizabeth chose to be obedient in receiving God’s gracious gift of a child, they were also willing to be counter-cultural. When God calls us to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, visit the prisoner and pray for our enemies, we are challenging our culture and reminding the world that God expects more from us.
Our new parents in the story could have simply dismissed the birth of John as a random event, but they chose to embrace the gift and the responsibilities that would follow. Zechariah was mute for nine months, and perhaps it took that long to work up the confidence to proclaim that God preparing something beyond our ability to understand. When God calls us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, we must prepare and build up the confidence to proclaim something extraordinary.
During this season of Advent, may you find the strength of Elizabeth and Zechariah. These new parents embraced God’s gracious gift of a new baby boy named John. Their “yes” was obedient, counter-cultural, and boldly confident to prepare the way of the Lord. Let us pray for the same resolve to proclaim that the King is Coming!
Kelley Henderson serves as president and CEO of Catholic Social Services in Columbus, Ohio.