Tuesday, 19th DECEMBER 2017. Trust Me. Great in the sight of the Lord .

Tuesday, 19th DECEMBER 2017
Luke 1:5–25

The angel said to Zechariah, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John"…And Zechariah 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…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."

Zechariah was a godly man. However, when the Archangel Gabriel confirmed that Zechariah's prayer was heard, he wasn't ready to believe it: "How shall I know this?" How can I be sure? Was it not enough to receive the visit of an Archangel? 

As Jesus complained to St Faustina: *"Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at My insides. The distrust of a chosen soul causes Me even greater pain; despite My inexhaustible love for them they do not trust Me."*

Many people find it difficult to make decisions out of fear: 'What if…?' More than daydreaming, it is day-nightmaring. They are petrified by the thought of some potential future calamities that could happen. Then the safest route is not to take any route. But not to make any decision is already a decision - the decision not to trust in God.

One day Fr Lainez was quizzed by St Ignatius of Loyola: "If God gave you the choice between going straightaway to Heaven or staying here on earth working for His Glory - but risking your salvation - what would you choose?" 

Lainez answered quickly: "I'd certainly choose the first: my salvation." 

Then St Ignatius replied: "I'd rather choose the second. How could God allow my condemnation as a consequence of a previous act of generosity on my part?" 

Risk is part of human life. We can't do anything at all if we don't take some risks. To walk you have to take the risk of lifting one foot and balancing all your weight on the other. But if you don't… you can't walk! And what if I make a mistake? Don't worry! If you make it out of trust in God, He knows how to turn that mistake into something good.

Mary, my Mother of God, help me to trust God more and to be daring in following His promptings.

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Commentary of the day :

Origen (c.185-253), priest and theologian
Homilies on Saint Luke's gospel, no.3 ; SC 87

"Great in the sight of the Lord"

Zachary was stunned at the sight of the angel. Indeed, whenever some unknown figure appears to human sight, it disturbs the mind and puts hearts into dismay. That is why the angel, knowing what human nature is like, first brings comfort to its trouble with these words: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah." 

He consoles his frightened soul and fills it with joy with this new message: "Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness"… 

Still, today, John's birth is the annunciation of a joyful message for all the world. And any man who… consents to have children and take on this responsibility should beseech God that his child be able to make a similar entrance into the world and this birth also bring him great joy.

It is written of John: "He will be great in the sight of the Lord." These words reveal the greatness of John's soul, the greatness that appears in God's sight. But there is also a certain smallness in the soul. This is how I, at least, understand this passage of the gospel: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones" (Mt 18:10)… I am not asked not to despise the great because what is great cannot be despised; but I am told: "Do not despise one of these little ones"… "Little one" and "small" are not words chosen by chance.

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