Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 / Luke 1:5-25
Generally speaking, married couples would love to have children of their own.
Children would be a very profound expression of the fruit of their love and it is also a blessing from God that they are to go forth and multiply.
Hence barrenness may be viewed as a misfortune or even an embarrassment.
But for the two couples in today's readings, Manoah and his wife, and Zechariah and Elizabeth, they were blessed for their faithfulness to each other and to God.
Because for the Jewish people at that time, being barren or sterile could be grounds for divorce.
Also the unfortunate couple would be subjected to slanting looks and wagging tongues that poke and cut till they wilt and fade and eventually they will separate.
Yet the two couples remained together, enduring the embarrassment and the shame, and enduring it together.
But God blessed them with sons who would become famous men in bible history.
Which makes us call to mind the times when we experienced misfortune and embarrassment and even shame.
Did we still believe that God did not abandon us, and did we still remain faithful to Him?
When we have survived those moments, then we will know this for sure:
When we abandon ourselves to God, God will not abandon us. And this is what we will be giving thanks to God for as the feast of Christmas approaches