Prayer Prompt before reading LK 1:57-66: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray well, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father and God the Son are so that I may know who I am.
“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.’” LK 1:57-66
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
It was important for Elizabeth and Zechariah to name the boy, John. When an angel appears, Zechariah doubted the angel, then became mute, it is best to do what the angel/God wants you to do. God always has a plan for our lives, take time to listen to what He is trying to tell you each day. What is God asking of you in your life right now? He has a dream for your life, a mission and purpose. It has something to do with being present to those right in front of you.
Another lesson we learn today is names are important. Your parents put some serious thought into naming you. Many times grandparents, parents, and saints are places parents look to name their children. Why? There is something special about keeping family names alive. We want to keep the memories of our families alive and remember all of the good they did. We are proud of our families and want to give the best future to our children. We want our children to be better than us or have even greater opportunities.
As a teacher, I was taught by my mentor to learn the names of all of the kids before I taught them. It is amazing the respect I receive from them by making sure I know their name. It shows that I care about them as a human being and that they matter. We are not just a number in a system or government, but a name gives us an identity within a family that can be traced back to the very beginning.
Many times we put too much emphasis on the numbers instead of the people involved in those numbers. God took special care to think and will us into existence out of love. There are no two set of fingerprints the same. God knew us before we were even knit in our mothers’ wombs.
Jeremiah 1:5 (NABRE):
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”.
Psalm 139:13 (NABRE):
“You formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for you are fearfully wonderful;
wonderful are your works!”.
We may share birthdays with someone, but every baptism is unique. God has set each one of us apart for a special mission like He did John today (anointed with holy oil). We not only have physical gifts and talents to give but also spiritual ones. Our names are important, but God’s plan for our life is paramount. The best decision you can make is to take time each day to sit in silence and listen to God in our heart so we will know our identity given to us by our Creator.
Today’s challenge: Research where your name came from, why your parents chose it, what it means. Take time today to ask God why He made you, the response might strike fear in you, but He will give you what you need to fulfill it. It’s why He made you.
Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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