By Shiju Joseph csc –
Readings: Judg 13: 2-7, 24-25a; Lk 1: 5-25
No one would probably blame Zechariah for not believing what he heard from the angel. It was too good to be true. Despite the fact that he and his wife had prayed for a child for many years, when it did come, he could not believe it! The angel reminded Zechariah that whether the prophecy was believed or not, the words would come true.
When we pray to God, most of our intercessions are bound to a particular time. A good example is praying for a job, or a healing. There is a particular context and stipulated time within which we want God to grant us the favour. This is so even when we say in our prayer, ‘let your will be done.’ We want things to be dealt with in our time. The Jews prayed for generations for the Saviour to come. And when he came, they could not be less prepared! Moreover, when God’s time arrives, nothing can stop his will either.
Do we remember what we used to pray to God for ourselves? Are there favours and graces that we asked for and finally have given up? Do we pray for rain and not carry an umbrella? The first part of true prayer is to look up to God with a deep longing for his will to be fulfilled in our lives. The second is being grateful and ready when his will is being revealed in our lives. Even as we celebrate the good news received by Zechariah and Elizabeth, let us pray that we will ever remain open and ready to receive what God may ask of us today.