Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 / Luke 1:5-25
As we approach nearer to the day of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the readings have the theme of announcement of pregnancies.
With the announcement of pregnancies, it would be expected that there would be rejoicing and celebration.
But as any parent who have gone through the experience of pregnancy, they would know it was a spectrum of emotions.
There would be rejoicing and gladness, there would be anxiety and worry, there would be doubts and frustrations.
In the 1st reading, the wife of Manoah had a vision of an angel telling her that she would conceive and bear a son.
She told her husband about it and both of them could be bewildered and astonished about this sudden news since they were barren and had no children.
In the gospel, Zachariah had his doubts when he was told that his wife Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son, as he reasoned out that he was already an old man and his wife was also getting on in years.
As we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, we may also be having our anxieties and worries and doubts about other things and lose our focus in our Advent preparation.
But let us keep our focus during this season of Advent on the marvels that God had done for His people, and let our hearts prepare the blessings that God wants to bestow upon us even in this season of Advent.