First reading Malachi 3:1-4,23-24
Before my day comes, I will send you Elijah my prophet
The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old.
Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse.
Responsorial Psalm 24(25):4-5,8-9,10,14
Stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.
Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.
The Lord is good and upright.
He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
He teaches his way to the poor.
His ways are faithfulness and love
for those who keep his covenant and law.
The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him;
to them he reveals his covenant.
Gospel Luke 1:57-66
‘His name is John’
The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.
Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
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Rejoice and gratitude
In today’s gospel, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. She, who had been barren for many years, rejoiced over her child. Her neighbours and relatives came to hear the good news and shared in her joy, fully aware of the pain she had endured without a child. This passage serves as a powerful reminder for us to celebrate the achievements of others, encouraging us to share in their joys and triumphs instead of giving in to feelings of envy. It highlights the power of community and the importance of supporting one another through the ups and downs of life.
When the child was to be circumcised on the eighth day, everyone expected that he would be named “John”. However, his mother firmly insisted, “No, he is to be called John,” highlighting her conviction and the importance of this name. Zechariah, the child’s father, who had been unable to speak since the announcement of the child’s birth, confirmed this choice by writing it down when asked for the name. In that moment, he regained his ability to speak and immediately began praising God. This joyful moment reminds us to express gratitude for the blessings we receive and the moments that transform our lives.
Reflective question:
Do I celebrate God’s blessings and acts of mercy in the lives of others around me, or do I focus more on my own situations?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
