ASAP

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. – Luke 1:58

“Do you already have a boyfriend?” My relatives would often ask me whenever they’d see me. They kept asking me that question for many years. They would advise me to find a boyfriend fast, get married and start a family ASAP because I was getting old. They were afraid I would have difficulty conceiving, or worse, I wouldn’t have a child. Actually, even my neighbors, officemates and some of my friends were worried.

       Then, I had my first boyfriend at 31. We got married the following year and, in a couple of months, I got pregnant. My parents, relatives, neighbors, colleagues and friends shared my joy. We praised and thanked God for enabling me to conceive right away even though I was a bit old and had polycystic ovaries. As of this writing, I have just given birth to my second baby, Mateo. His birth brought much joy once more to many, not only to me.

       God has shown me mercy repeatedly and I eagerly share my story at every opportunity, even through a magazine and a TV show. It’s just one way I show my gratitude to God so that others may rejoice when they learn that God shows mercy to those who trust in Him. Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag (teregmps@yahoo.com)

Reflection: Are you excited to share with others how God has blessed you? Or do you hesitate?

Teach me, Lord, to boldly proclaim the good that You’ve done in my life.

The time will come when no one will be able to resist the truth of God’s love and mercy. I pray that on that day, we will all be properly disposed to receive that truth in its fullness. I pray that we will all do our best to prepare ourselves for the day when Jesus comes again, as after He arrives there will be no more opportunities to make preparations.

1 Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. 3 He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. 4 Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in days of old, as in years gone by. 23 Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day, 24 to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with doom.

4 Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. (R) 8 Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. 9 He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. (R) 10 All the paths of the Lord are kindness and constancy toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees. 14 The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him, and his covenant, for their instruction. (R)

People wondered what was in store for John’s (the Baptist, as we later find out) life. The same should be true of all children. Each has the potential for greatness. The duty and privilege of being a parent is helping to develop the potential of a child and setting him or her on the path to greatness. Greatness here should be measured by the principles of heaven and not the

priorities of the world.

O King of all nations and Keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

57 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 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.

think:  Greatness should be measured by the principles of heaven and not the priorities of the world.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

Apart from Jesus and Mary, John the Baptist is the only one whose birth and death we celebrate. The Church considers him a large figure and he looms large as we near the days of our Savior’s birth. We are reminded of the joy of John the Baptist’s birth. What a great blessing to his parents. John will be the great precursor to Jesus and we see him out in the desert preparing the way for the people to receive a baptism of repentance.

       In this Gospel story, we see the horror on the part of the people as they seek to name the child. Traditionally, names were taken after the father in the Jewish custom, or at least from significant figures in the life of the child. The dilemma, then, is that no one in the family has the name John. This name was given to Zechariah by the angel in the Temple. His name will be John, meaning God’s gracious gift. His name signifies the mission he will fulfill as he seeks to call people into the grace and mercy of God — ultimately leading them to Jesus.

       Have you ever thought about the significance of your name? You have a name! You have an identity! You are known by your name. How wonderful is your name, known to God and those closest around you. A name is significant; it evokes security and identity. Look upon your name, find its meaning. Many of us have been called by other names that can be offensive. God loves you and calls you by name: “You are mine,” says the Lord.

       The people who witnessed the birth of John wondered what he would turn out to be. God’s hand was indeed upon him. The hand of the Lord is upon our life, too. Let us rejoice in our names and seek to live up to the names we have. Even more than that, our collective name is Christian and we are disciples of Jesus. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is your name? Find out the meaning of your name. Who are you?

Lord, You have redeemed me and called me by a new name. I belong to You. Amen.