Fourth Sunday of Advent

18 December 2011

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

Scripture:  "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,
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 s
wore 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:  The story of Zechariah calls to mind Isaiah 35, "Say to the fainthearted: 'Take courage and fear not! Behold, your God will bring the vindication of retribution. God himself will arrive to save you.' Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be cleared. Then the disabled will leap like a buck, and the tongue of the mute will be untied." With this, the anticipation for the coming of Christ, our Advent, is increased.