Word to the Wise
Monday, September 30, 2019 - Monday in the 26th Week in Ordinary Time
[Zech 8:1-8 and Luke 9:46-50]Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women, each with staff in hand because of old age, shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the Lord of hosts? [Zechariah]
SEPTEMBER 30 ST. JEROME, priest and doctor of the church
This passage from Zechariah refers to the restoration of Jerusalem after the return of the Jews who were in exile in Babylonia. They may have wondered if life could return to "normal!" God says to them through the prophet Zechariah, "Trust me! I'll bring you home and the land and people will be restored." What seems impossible to others doesn't mean God sees it that way!
The images of the elderly with staffs and the children playing in the streets struck me particularly because on Saturday I celebrated the baptism of the infant son of a couple whose wedding I celebrated several years ago. This child seemed a miracle to them because they were having difficulty conceiving and hope was wearing thin. The family gathering was joyful, with all ages and stages of life represented from the baby to be baptized to 80+ years old. (At 76, I was third oldest!) What may have seemed impossible in human eyes became possible in God's AND ours! To add to the meaning of it all, I had baptized the dad 30 years ago!
Jerusalem was restored and the baby was born. As the Angel Gabriel said to Mary, "for nothing shall be impossible with God." AMEN