The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 17, 2018
Luke 1:57-60 & 80
I have often thought of Zechariah and Elizabeth as metaphors for the church. I suspect people in those days had pretty well dismissed them as not being very important. They were old, probably out of touch with things, not particularly productive, and probably all that was expected was that they might offer a prayer or two now and then. Many people look at the church today just the same way: quaint, out of touch, not productive enough to contribute much to society, and all they expect is a few prayers now and then. Now, if you can imagine the church as Zechariah and Elizabeth, then imagine yourself as John, the consequence of prayerful fidelity and openness to God’s plan. For that is, in the end, what we are. As a Church, we are not left to ourselves to be productive and fruitful. God works with us just as God worked with that old couple in the hill country. What the world might judge to be useless except for prayer now and then is hardly incapable of producing. We are the result of the God who still visits a people at prayer.
Fr. Tom Boyer