When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.

luke 1:57-58

Luke 1:57-66, 80

Reflection

When Elizabeth gives birth to her son, her relatives assume she will name her child Zechariah after his father. But she tells them the child’s name will be John. They question Zechariah, who is still mute, and he writes on a tablet that John will be the name. At this proclamation, Zechariah is able to speak once more. John grows up and resides in the desert until he begins to preach repentance to Israel.

We might not relate to John the Baptist’s birth story very much, but we can certainly learn some important lessons from it. Elizabeth, who was considered barren, has at last had a child. The Lord’s promise was fulfilled and he did not disappoint. We see that trusting the Lord, even when his promise seems far-fetched, is always a good idea. God does not renege on his promises; he is always faithful, even when we are not.

Is there a circumstance in your life where you need to trust God? It can be hard waiting for an answer to a prayer, especially one that might not seem possible. But when we place our trust and hope in the Lord, great things are bound to happen. The Lord’s mercy is endless, but we have to appeal to that mercy to experience it. As sinners, we are broken and often mistrust God, not believing he will provide for us in our need.

If we change our mindset and start to trust God, relying on him for everything, we begin to understand his mercy and love for us much better. How can you grow in trust and faith, just like Elizabeth?

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Saint of the Day

St. John the Baptist

“The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” Luke 1:80