The Sunday of Annunciation to Priest Zechariah - 16-11-08

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Reading: From the Gospel according to St. Luke 1: 5-25

Dear and Respected Brethren,

Holy Church has separated this Sunday as Parents' Sunday to honor all the parents by introducing St. Zechariah and St. Elisabeth as the role models for one and all the couples. St. Luke introduces them as couple of certain unique nature and rare qualities. Firstly they both were righteous before God. Secondly they used to walk blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. I do believe that an explanation is not required here, if we all might examine our own lives to assess how far we are righteous and how much we do attempt to be blameless in the commandments and ordinances of our Lord God, through a self evaluation,

In verse 10 we find a good number of congregation praying together for the priest who was burning incense for him and the congregation. The Holy Scripture says, "the whole multitude were praying". This was in accordance with the teaching they had in Leviticus 16: 17. When Zechariah saw the angel, he was also frightened and in fact he was in total fear. In verse 13 we read, "Fear not Zechariahs, your prayers have been answered by Lord God," We often pray for a number of needs and still we could not hear such a word through the angel. In addition to these words, the angel told so many things about the child to be born too, (refer verses 14-17) The response of Zechariahs cannot be grouped under the disbelief, As a result the angel told him that he would be dumb till the birth of the infant.

How many times we might have responded negatively to the revelations from God Almighty. If we could find some in our lists, let us repent well and seek mercy and forgiveness.

We are bound to pray for the Holy Church. Let us pray earnestly for the spiritual and secular growth and stability of the Holy Church, which is the real body of Christ, our redeemer.

May God bless us all

Jose Kurian Puliyeril.

Kottayam