Monday after Gaudete, The Third Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 12, 2022 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 1:1-15 (NKJV)
1:1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”
Devotion
St. Luke’s Gospel begins with a priest, and ends with a Lamb. The angel Gabriel is sent to a priest named Zacharias at the beginning of St. Luke’s Gospel. Zacharias is offering up incense—offering up the prayers of the saints—before the Lord in the temple. The Lord hears the prayers of the people and Zacharias, and his wife Elizabeth, are promised a son. He will be the forerunner to the Christ. He will be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb. He will prepare the way of the Lord Jesus. He will prepare the way for the Lord God incarnate in our flesh. This Christ is the answer to the prayers of those of us who are burdened in this life with sin and death.
The incarnate Lord Jesus has come to conquer sin and death. At the end of St. Luke’s Gospel this incarnate Son of God will be the true High Priest and offer up His perfect life as a ransom for sinful mankind. The High Priest will offer the Lamb on the tree of the holy cross. He will atone for the sins of the whole world, so that all those who cling to Him in faith will have forgiveness, life, and salvation. We are given a priest in today’s reading whose son will prepare the way of this High Priest and Lamb. This Lamb’s sacrifice will be the answer to the prayers of the people. Our Lord Jesus is our answer to sin and death, by giving us righteousness and life through faith.
Prayer: Lord, we beseech Thee, give ear to our prayers, and lighten the darkness of our hearts, by Thy gracious visitation; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
