life-lines
“Do not be frightened, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son.” —Luke 1:13
“The Israelites again offended the Lord, Who therefore delivered them into the power of the Philistines for forty years” (Jgs 13:1). The Lord dealt with the Philistines’ oppression of the Israelites by sending a baby, Samson (Jgs 13:3).
Over a thousand years later, the Israelites were again conquered and oppressed, this time by the Romans. The Lord again dealt with the problem by sending a baby, St. John the Baptizer (Lk 1:13), and ultimately solved this problem by becoming a Baby Himself.
Babies are not our problem; they are the answer to our problems. “Sons are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps 127:3). However, just creating more people is not the solution to our problems. Raising up more vowed people will liberate the world from the oppression of sin. Both Samson and John the Baptizer lived according to the Nazirite vow (Nm 6:2ff; Jgs 13:4-5; Lk 1:15). They were especially consecrated to the Lord. They were not only human beings, but vowed, consecrated, new creations.
We need not only births but new births, not only life but new life, not only births but Baptisms. The Lord, Who told us to be fertile, multiply, and fill the earth (Gn 1:28), also told us to make disciples of all the nations and baptize them (Mt 28:19). We must have more people in the world to have the possibility of having more disciples. If we lead all nations to life in Christ, only then will we see a civilization of love. New life in Christ will give us a world of love, justice, and peace. Choose life (Dt 30:19) — life to the full (Jn 10:10).
Prayer: Father, may this Christmas season be a prophetic celebration of life in the midst of our culture of death.
Promise: “The Spirit of the Lord first stirred him.” —Jgs 13:25
Praise: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, You have been raised up as a Sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in Your presence; the nations bow down in worship before You. Come, let nothing keep You from coming to our aid.”
Reference:
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