What, then, will this child be?

23 DECEMBER (Lk 1,57-66)

When the Lord enters into history to operate his salvation, he always creates credibility in those who seek God with humility and purity of intentions. His Holy Spirit always moves some people so that they accept his manifestation, his timely intervention for the salvation of his creature. This is a constant. If many persist in their sin of pride and idolatry, many more open to God because they see his presence in history.

Faith is born not due to a spontaneous motion of man, but because the Holy Spirit illuminates, gives wisdom, drives, moves, opens the mind to grasp the signs of God’s presence in the life of a man. This truth must be put in the heart. An excellent sign of it is what it is done in the house of Zechariahitself on the day the Virgin Mary enters and greets. The Holy Spirit gives the full revelation of the mystery of which the Mother of God was the bearer. What happens in this house is the most perfect paradigm of how the Lord moves in our history. Already since the call of Abraham we see this mode of action of the Lord.

About that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham: “God is with you in everything you do. Therefore, swear to me by God at this place that you will not deal falsely with me or with my progeny and posterity, but will act as loyally toward me and the land in which you stay as I have acted toward you.” To this Abraham replied, “I so swear.” Abraham, however, reproached Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s men had seized by force. “I have no idea who did that,” Abimelech replied. “In fact, you never told me about it, nor did I ever hear of it until now.” Then Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech and the two made a pact. Abraham also set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock, and Abimelech asked him, “What is the purpose of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” Abraham answered, “The seven ewe lambs you shall accept from me that thus I may have your acknowledgment that the well was dug by me.” This is why the place is called Beer-sheba; the two took an oath there. When they had thus made the pact in Beer-sheba, Abimelech, along with Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk at Beer-sheba, and there he invoked by name the Lord, God the Eternal. Abraham resided in the land of the Philistines for many years (Gen 21,22-34).  

As it is seen in Abraham that God is with him, so it is with John the Baptist. The signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit is seen in this child. He is not a child like any other. The Lord has placed his sight on him in a special way. He wants to make a particular person of him also for a particular mission. Who creates this belief of most pure faith in the hearts of many is the Holy Spirit. This truth is needed to every called person and for every vocation. If we are from God, we are called to do his work, the Lord will always create credibility. He will make us see ourselves as people that belong to Himto fulfill his salvation.

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

If the world moves away from the mediators of salvation and redemption it is a sign that God has turned away from them, because these have not responded to their vocation. They have not persevered in it. They live it in a human way, without perfect communion with the Holy Spirit. The conscience must be questioned. They are out.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints always graft us in God.