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Gospel Reading for December 23, 2025 – Luke 1: 57-66
UNPREPAREDNESS
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
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At first Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives rejoiced with her because the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, having bore a son when she was known to be barren and being advanced in age. Why then did fear come upon them upon seeing that her husband Zechariah started to speak when naming the child “John” after he became mute for not believing what the angel told her about Elizabeth’s conceiving a son? Suddenly, they became apprehensive of the child whom they believed had the hand of the Lord upon him. Shouldn’t they be rejoicing much more because not only had the Lord shown great mercy toward Elizabeth, but because the Lord is now very near them?
Some of us have frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament because we believe that Jesus is present in the form of bread. We feel a certain intimacy, a feeling of closeness to him whenever we gaze at the monstrance, whenever we are inside the adoration chapel. This was the feeling of many saints. When things go bad at home, at work, in the country, we just wish he were physically present among us, because we think all our problems will be solved.
What should bring us fear upon knowing that the Lord is near, is our UNPREPAREDNESS for his coming. The whole essence of Advent is the joyous preparation for the Lord’s coming, not only on the last day but everyday of our lives!
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
