Today's Gospel reading

Liturgical Day: December 19, Thursday
   Gospel (Lk 1: 5-25): There was in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah, married to a descendant of Aaron, whose name was Isabel , they were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. They had no children, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in age.

It happened that , while office before God in the order of his division, he was fortunate, as the use of priestly service, enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. All the assembled worshipers were praying outside at the hour of incense. Appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right of the altar of incense. Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him. The angel said, "Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John, you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, he will be great before the Lord, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and many of the children of Israel, will turn to the Lord their God, and will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a people prepared."

Zechariah asked the angel, "How shall I know this? Because I am old and my wife in years." The angel answered, "I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and am sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Look, I will be silent and not able to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time."

The people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised his delay in the sanctuary. When he came out, he could not speak, and perceived that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary, he spoke by signs, and remained mute. It happened, when the days of his service, he went home. Days later, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, "This is what the Lord did for me in the days wherein he looked to take away my reproach among men."

Your brother in Christ, Father Santiago