God is predictable in a number of aspects like His love for us, His mercy and compassion, His kindness and forgiveness, etc.
But God is also a God of surprises, and certainly He is a God of graceful surprises.
As the prophet Micah says in the 1st reading, "and the Lord you are seeking, will suddenly enter His Temple".
It may be a sudden surprise but it is certainly a graceful and grace-filled surprise.
In the gospel, there were two surprises. The first was when Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and it was a graceful and grace-filled surprise, and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.
Then came another surprise, and that was when Elizabeth and Zachariah decided to name their son "John".
The name "John" means "the grace of God" or "God is graciousness", and indeed the birth of John and his name were graceful and grace-filled surprises from God.
So when things don't turn out as expected, or when we are surprised at the turn of things, let us believe it will be for the good, because God's ways of doing things are always for our good.
And may we gracefully accept the grace-filled surprises from God, and we will rejoice in thanksgiving.