Today we meet two couples – faithful, upright but sans offspring, and they live in an age where childlessness is a curse. Angelic messengers bring tidings of great joy: the promise of a son which fulfills their fondest dreams. As we look at these paragons of the past, we too seek parallels in our own storylines. And if there are dreams we have stopped dreaming, we could entrust these with the One Who Cares and with tranquil obedience, accept whatever He desires.
Similarities
Both times, an angel appears, terrifying to behold, provoking fear and trepidation, soothing and peaceable. Their prayers have been answered, a child is promised, and instructions are provided. The child is to be set apart for the mission, consecrated to God from the womb to the tomb. Prophecies about how the heralded offspring would go about fulfilling said mission are proclaimed. The vision is vivid, there is no doubt that a supernatural being has communicated the will of God to them.
Our prayers too are heard by God, and for us too, there can be a direct relationship with God. We listen when we read the word of God, we speak to Him with our prayers. Here is a quote from the Catechism on praying with the Word of God. “Seek in reading and you will find in meditating, knock in mental prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation” (CCC 2654)
Consequences
The mother of Samson hearkens to the voice of the angel, but Zechariah hears, scoffs and the angel presses the Mute button. The lesson for us is there are consequences to our belief or lack thereof. This may come across as “you better toe the line or else” but it is not that. We need to have a discerning heart. When the Angel Gabriel visits the teenaged Mary, she is not scolded for asking questions. Mary questions to discern whether the message was from God and then responds with her fiat. Zechariah doubts, puts up roadblocks to God’s mission and becomes the echo to the sound of silence. At first blush, it seems like the angel Gabriel is dabbling in pettiness, but it seems to me that the skeptical cleric was being reminded of the need for docility and humility. Zechariah had to get over himself, get out of the way, and let God work in and through him.
Modern man can relate only too well. Unless we fight diligently, we can become more than a tad cynical, argumentative and quick to reach for the nearest search engine. God does not work that way, his depths cannot be plumbed, his meaning is not intelligible unless a serious dint of effort is first made. It is the battle of prayer.
Children of God
Samson and John were the object of their parents’ most cherished dream. Their parents longed for them with love beyond all telling. The passage of years must have been heart wrenching. And then at the most unexpected and marvelous of times, God intervened in their lives and their most precious dreams were enfleshed.
Each child is special, born in the image and likeness of God. Because of the Fall, this image and likeness is marred and tarnished, but we still retain the similarities with the divine nature. We each have our unique, non-transferable mission from God. Samson and John fulfilled their potential and achieved the will of God for their life. What about you and me? Like Zechariah, let us receive the will of God, let us ponder it deeply and let us then become heralds of the Good News, like his son John, the greatest of prophets. We too need to “go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” Lk 1: 76-77
As Fr. Mike Schmitz would say: “We do not need information, we need transformation, and application.
Great job again D’Souza family. Go forth with the strength of Samson and the zeal of St. John
The Baptist.