Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
(Judges 13:2-7.24-25a; Luke 1:5-25)
We feel for couples who want to have children but remain
barren. Often they seem to be the best of
people – she, gentle and caring, and he, responsible and understanding. Raising offspring like themselves would not
only fulfill their dreams but would also give hope to their neighbors for a
nobler society. Why, we ask, does God
not grant the continual prayer of such a pair?
Children, however, are not created to satisfy personal
and/or social needs but to serve God’s design for justice. In both readings today God grants the barren
couples a son to further His purpose of preparing for the coming of
Christ. Manoah and his wife will give birth
to Samson who will defeat the enemies of the Israelites among whom Jesus will
be born. Zechariah and Elizabeth will
give birth to John who will announce that the coming of the Christ.
