All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Is it just me, or do we all wonder what will this child see? I was amused recently to learn that a star in a new blockbuster movie was born in this century. Her movie is the latest in a series which began before she was born. I thought the premise was silly twenty years ago, and still do, and they are initiating a third generation into its implausible silliness.
What will these children see?
The birth of Saint John the Baptist signaled a new age to the gossips and nags of Jerusalem. Their only clue was his name, which was not unusual but it broke with family tradition. By way of the Guardian Angel, the Lord himself had dictated the name of this infant. That worried them no end. Of course, they were also astonished that an old woman should have a child. That too was unsettling.
And they wondered, "What will this child be?" What will he see that we will not live to see?
Saint Luke's gospel will reveal Saint John and the Lord in their maturity. John would preach repentance to pilgrims in the Jordan Valley; Jesus would announced the kingdom of God from Galilee to Jerusalem. John would be decapitated and Jesus, crucified. Rumors of John's resurrection (unfounded) would trouble Herod; the Good News of Jesus' resurrection (true!) would renew the face of the earth.
In mid-summer, six months before Christmas, we celebrate the Birth of John the Baptist, as we remember Saint Gabriel had explained to Mary, that Elizabeth was in her sixth month. The feast day reminds us of the passage of time, and that the Lord who revealed himself in the past sees and governs the future. What today's children will see might be more frightening than this present moment, or less. In either case, God will be with them and they will hear his word to Zechariah and Mary, "Do not be afraid."
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.