Biblical miracles are the stuff of our lives

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for the Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

+ Surely, the central focus of Advent and Christmastime is the birth of the Christ, and Mary’s “yes” to God in bringing it about.

But that is not the only birth of great import.

Elizabeth, also, is given a gift from God, that in her barrenness and old age she is to bring forth a son into this world who will be known as John the Baptist — also a very special boy.

Sprinkled into this mix of miraculous babies to be born is Samson, who would be born of the woman — wife of the man from Zoah who was named Manoah.

This woman, too, was barren and had not borne any children.

The connection between all of these stories is the birthing activities in which God is becoming very involved.

And for each of these boys to be born, God had special plans for each of them and was to be very involved in their stories.

“Samson Captured by the Philistines.”

The Samson story is shared

As the story of Samson goes, the same could be said of John the Baptist, “The boy grew up and the Lord blessed him; the Spirit of the Lord stirred him.”

And the angels, the messengers of God, also are a part of these stories as they deliver news; and in a sense, deliver babies and consequential results — at least to Zechariah, when he doubts and questions the veracity of this angelic news.

He did have a reason, though; he and his wife, Elizabeth, were quite “advanced in years”.

A baby now? It did not make a lot of sense — nor did it make a lot of sense for him to be questioning an angel!

I mean, one does not get an angel visit every day; so, he was dumbstruck and speechless, and that made the people do a lot of surmising as they came to the conclusion, “he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.”

These many miracles are the stuff of the Bible and the stuff of our lives.

It seems to this writer that the miracle of many a pregnancy, and the miracle of a birth in itself, is a miracle one experiences when holding a tiny baby in one’s hands

The miracle of coming to know God in this life, and the miracle of growth and development and maturing in Christ is saying yes, yes, yes, yes again and again and again just like Mary did.

Are we any different, really, than the woman, that wife of Manoah? Or Elizabeth and Zechariah? Or even Mary?

At the root of it all, is not God very much a part of all of our experiences, especially of birthing new life and nourishing that life into adulthood?

And at least this writer would agree that God is always working in us in a way that we could and should look upon those boys and girls that come into this world.

“The boy grew up and the Lord blessed him; the Spirit of the Lord stirred him,” these many miracles are the stuff of the Bible and the stuff of our lives.

Do we sense that? Do we believe that? Are we dumbstruck and doubtful of that?

Do we need an angel to appear to us to make it real?

God, give us the faith to sing out like the psalmist today: “My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!”

Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.