• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

  • Laudato Si’
    • Making Room: Lent Reflection Series
    • Celebrating the Season of Creation
    • Passion of the Earth, Wisdom of the Cross
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Small Grants to Implement Laudato Siˊ
    • Statement on Texas Elementary School Tragedy
  • Pray
    • Daily Reflections
    • Prayer Request
    • Sunday Homily
    • Passionist Spirituality and Prayer
    • Video: Stations of the Cross
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
  • Grow
    • The Passionist Way
    • Retreat Centers
    • Passionist Magazine
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Passionist Solidarity Network
    • Journey into the Mystery of Christ Crucified
    • Celebrating the Feast of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Subscribe to E-News
    • Passionist Ministries
      • Preaching
      • Hispanic Ministry
      • Haiti
      • Parish Life
      • Earth and Spirit Center
      • Education
      • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Vision Fulfillment Newsletters
    • Sacred Heart Monastery
      • History of Sacred Heart Monastery
      • A Day in the Life of Senior Passionists
      • “Pillars” of the Community
  • Join
    • Vocation Resources
    • Father Phillip Donlan, CP, Ordination
    • Are You Being Called?
    • Passionist Brothers
    • The Life of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Discerning Your Call
    • Pray With Us
    • Passionist Vocation Directors
    • World Day for Consecrated Life
    • Lay Partnerships
  • Connect
    • Find a Passionist
    • Passionist Websites
    • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Passionist Alumni Association
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
      • St. Gemma Circle of Giving Intentions
    • Leave a Legacy
      • Giving Matters
      • Ways to Give
      • Donor Relations
      • Testimonials
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
    • Privacy Policy Statement
  • Learn
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Our Founder
    • History
    • The Letters of St. Paul of the Cross
    • The Diary of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Mission and Charism
    • Saints and Blesseds
    • FAQs
    • Find a Passionist
    • STUDIES IN PASSIONIST HISTORY AND SPIRITUALITY
  • Safe Environments

Daily Scripture, December 19, 2019

Scripture:

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
Luke 1:5-25

Reflection:

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, “because your prayer has been heard.” Luke 1:13

We pray because we long for something we do not yet have or enjoy. We pray for health, we pray for healing, we pray for peace. There are many reasons why we pray.

In today’s readings, we have two examples of families praying for children, knowing that their time to have children has passed them by. In both families, the wife was considered barren. In both families, it did not stop them from praying.

These two accounts, one from the Hebrew Testament and the other from the New Testament are timely ones for our Advent season. This is the season of Hope. This is the season of praying for something we long for but have no expectation of receiving. This kind of prayer is an exercise of faith. We do it because we want something, not because we think that we will receive it. We pray because we trust in God!

Sometimes we need to be careful about what we pray for because God sometimes answers our prayers and we are not ready for them.

When the people of God longed for a Savior, they prayed for one. And the Son of God became flesh and dwelt among us. As we read our scriptures, we were clearly not ready for the coming of the Baby Jesus. The Word made flesh was the answer to our prayer but our hearts were not ready to receive him.

Let us rejoice during this time as we realize that the Baby Jesus, born in an abandoned stable in Bethlehem, was the answer to our prayer! Let us be ready for those surprises that God has in store for us! Come, Lord Jesus!


Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California.

Footer

Facebook Feed

Support the Passionists

Contact the Passionists

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province
660 Busse Highway | Park Ridge, IL 60068
Tel: 847.518.8844 | Toll-free: 800.295.9048 | Fax: 847.518.0461
Safe Environments | Board Member Portal | Copyright © 2023 | Log in