Third Saturday of Advent

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because 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, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.”

We should never be afraid of doing God’s Will. The obstacles in our way may seem insurmountable or the sufferings unbearable, but God never gives us more than we can bear as long as we ask for and accept His help. If we live our lives in accord with the gospel, we too will have joy and gladness, many will rejoice at our birth, and we will be great in the sight of the Lord. We might not be called to such great things as St. John the Baptist, but what we are called to do in our lives will have the indelible mark of being founded upon Christ. So let us do God’s Will without complaint or hesitation and prepare the way of the Lord.

Are we doing God’s Will in our lives? Do we think, say, and do everything in accord with the gospel message of Christ? What can we do better to prepare the way of the Lord?

O Lord, help us bring joy and gladness into the world through our words and works.

Amen.