Zechariah had been unable to speak for nine months, because he doubted the angel who announced the upcoming birth of his son. Now, on the eighth day after his birth, Elizabeth and Zechariah are called to obey the direction that came from Heaven by giving this son a name that will cause a stir. In order to be faithful to God’s will, they must go against the convention that first-born boys receive a name that links them to their fathers and their grandfathers.
People will talk. People DID talk. But Zechariah speaks in obedience to God’s will, and “immediately his mouth was opened” and he could speak. And the first words he speaks are a blessing, a canticle of praise to God that is prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours every single day.
Zechariah obeys, blesses the Lord, and he and his family are in turn blessed. His obedience blesses his family, his neighbors (who are awestruck and see that “the hand of the Lord” is with this child), and his only son, who will receive his mission of preaching and baptizing to prepare the way of the Messiah.
The Holy Family has likewise been blessed by a calling. In their humble obedience from within unique and sometimes difficult circumstances, they draw down God’s blessings of protection and providence. They bear the obedience to worldly authority regarding the census, the inability to find suitable lodging, and the discomfort of traveling during the final days of pregnancy with the spirit of trust in the Father’s Plan. He has given them everything, and He will take care of everything.
Like Zechariah and the Holy Family, we are first blessed by the Lord with a calling, and then our obedience to that call draws down His blessing upon us! All that we have, we have received. All that we receive has been given to us. Even our ability to receive is a gift!
This Christmas, let us all offer the same spirit of humble obedience and loving trust, as we receive the Great Gift that is given to us: our King and Savior, lying in a manger near his Mother.
Zacarías no pudo hablar por nueve meses, porque dudó el ángel que le anunció el próximo nacimiento de su hijo. Ahora, al octavo día después de su nacimiento, Isabel y Zacarías están llamados a obedecer las indicaciones que vinieron del Cielo al darle a este hijo un nombre que causará confusión. Para ser fieles a la voluntad de Dios, tenían que ir en contra de la tradición de que los niños primogénitos reciben un nombre que los une a sus padres y abuelos.
La gente iba a hablar en contra. Y la gente hablaba. Pero Zacarías habla en obediencia a la voluntad de Dios, e “se le soltó la lengua [y] recobró el habla.” Y las primeras palabras que pronuncia son una bendición, un cántico de alabanza a Dios que se reza en la Liturgia de las Horas todos los días.
Zacarías obedece, bendice al Señor, y él y su familia son a su vez bendecidos. Su obediencia bendice a su familia, a sus vecinos (que se asombran al ver que “la mano de Dios” está con este niño), y a su único hijo, que recibirá su misión de predicar y bautizar para preparar el camino del Mesías.
La Sagrada Familia también ha sido bendecida por una vocación. En su humilde obediencia desde dentro de circunstancias únicas y a veces difíciles, atraen las bendiciones de protección y providencia de Dios. Sobrellevan la obediencia a la autoridad mundana en cuanto al censo, la imposibilidad de encontrar alojamiento adecuado y la incomodidad de viajar durante los últimos días del embarazo con el espíritu de confianza en el Plan del Padre. Él les ha dado todo, y Él se encargará de todo.
Al igual que Zacarías y la Sagrada Familia, primero somos bendecidos por el Señor con un llamado, ¡y luego nuestra obediencia a ese llamado atrae Su bendición sobre nosotros! Todo lo que tenemos, lo hemos recibido. Todo lo que recibimos se nos ha sido dado. ¡Incluso nuestra capacidad de recibir es un regalo!
En esta Navidad, que todos ofrezcamos con el mismo espíritu de humilde obediencia y amorosa confianza, al recibir el Gran Don que se nos entrega: nuestro Rey y Salvador, recostado en un pesebre junto a su Madre.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: Nicolás Beltrán López, cathopic.com/photo/27749-nativity-scene-in-bethlehem
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