💖 HOMILY - DECEMBER 19 💖

First Reading - Judges 13:2-7,24-25 

Gospel - Luke 1:5-25

In moments when life feels closed, delayed, or barren, hope can slowly fade from our hearts. We pray, we wait, and sometimes we begin to wonder whether God still hears us. Today’s readings speak directly into that silence. They proclaim a powerful truth: God’s saving work often begins where human hope seems exhausted, and His promises unfold in His time, not ours.

The first reading from Judges introduces us to a couple burdened by childlessness, living in a time of oppression and uncertainty. Into this situation, God intervenes and announces the birth of a child set apart for a special mission. The birth of Samson is not merely a personal blessing for his parents; it is God’s answer to the suffering of His people. What seemed like a closed future becomes the starting point of deliverance. God shows that limitations do not restrict Him. On the contrary, they often become the very place where His power is revealed.

The Gospel presents a similar scene, but with a deeper spiritual emphasis. Zechariah and Elizabeth are righteous and faithful, yet they too carry the pain of unanswered prayer. When the angel announces the birth of John, Zechariah struggles to believe. His doubt does not come from rebellion, but from disappointment shaped by long waiting. His silence becomes a sign—not of punishment alone, but of preparation. God is teaching him that His word does not depend on human certainty. God’s promise will stand, even when faith wavers.

Dear friends, these two stories together reveal a consistent pattern in God’s saving plan. Before God brings renewal to His people, He first prepares the ground in quiet, hidden ways. Before public mission comes private faith. Before proclamation comes listening. God begins His greatest works not with noise and speed, but with patience and trust.

For us today, this message is deeply encouraging. Many of us carry prayers that seem unanswered, dreams that appear delayed, and hopes that feel fragile. We may wonder whether our faith is strong enough, or whether we have waited too long. Today’s readings remind us that God has not forgotten. Delay is not denial. Silence is not absence. God is at work even when we cannot yet see the result.

Zechariah’s silence teaches us something important: sometimes God invites us to stop explaining, stop controlling, and simply trust. When words fail, God’s promise remains. When human strength runs out, God’s grace begins to act.

Today, we are invited to renew our hope. God still brings life out of barrenness, purpose out of waiting, and joy out of long expectation. If we remain faithful, even with imperfect trust, God will fulfil His promises in ways greater than we imagined.

Let us ask for the grace to wait with faith, to listen in silence, and to trust that God’s timing is always guided by love. When the promise finally comes to fulfillment, we will see that God was faithful all along.