Today’s Catholic Reflection
Isaiah speaks of a servant chosen by the Lord from the very beginning. This servant is meant to bring glory to God and restore Israel. Even when he feels his efforts are in vain, he finds strength in knowing that God holds his reward. The Lord promises that this servant will gather the tribes of Jacob and be a light to all nations, bringing salvation to everyone.
In the Gospel of Luke, Elizabeth has a son. People expect her to name him after his father, but she insists on the name John. Zechariah agrees by writing the name John on a tablet, and his speech returns. The community is filled with wonder as they talk child, who grows strong in spirit and lives in the desert until he is revealed to Israel.