Third Saturday of Advent 2015

~Today's O ANTIPHON is THE ROOT OF JESSE'S STEM.~
     O Come, thou Rod of Jesse's Stem,
     From every foe deliver them
     That trust Thy mighty power to save
     And give them victory o'er the grave.

Jesse Tree Story: ZECHARIAH
Jesse Tree Symbol: TABLET & PENCIL

Scripture: "Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house. Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth arrived, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and so they congratulated her. And it happened that, on the eighth day, they arrived to circumcise the boy, and they called him by his father’s name, Zechariah. And in response, his mother said: “Not so. Instead, he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “But there is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him to be called. And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: “His name is John.” And they all wondered. Then, at once, his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear fell upon all of their neighbors. And all these words were made known throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard it stored it up in their heart, saying: “What do you think this boy will be?” And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. And he prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel. For he has visited and has wrought the redemption of his people. And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant, just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who are from ages past: salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us, to accomplish mercy with our fathers, and to call to mind his holy testament, the oath, which he swore to Abraham, our father, that he would grant to us, so that, having been freed from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear, in holiness and in justice before him, throughout all our days. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord: to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of their sins, through the heart of the mercy of our God, by which, descending from on high, he has visited us, to illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to direct our feet in the way of peace.” And the child grew, and he was strengthened in spirit. And he was in the wilderness, until the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
Luke 1:57-80

Commentary: Through the story of Zechariah, we learn to trust in God's Will and to follow the path God wants us to follow in our lives. Zechariah lost his ability to speak until he accepted God's will and did what God wanted him to do. It was the son of Zechariah, John, that became the herald of the Savior.

Readings of the Day:
Judges 13:2-7, 24-25
Psalm 71
Luke 1:5-25