The Homily of the Archbishop Charles Jude Scicluna
The first Gospel in the feast of John the Baptist is the annunciation of his birth. The Angel Gabriel gave the news, the power of God or God is powerful, appears to Zechariah, the father of John, and tells him, that his wife, who is sterile, is going to have a baby. And the baby is going to be a boy, and he will name his boy: John. It is interesting to stop at the meaning, the etymology of the words, of the names involved in this narrative, that we are actually celebrating today. Let’s start with the father Zechariah. The name Zechariah means ‘God remembers’. The name of the mother Elisabeth means ‘God is powerful’, ‘God is almighty’. In fact, He shows His power in the birth of John the Baptist. The baby is to be called John, which means ‘God is merciful’.
It is interesting to oath faith on the conjunction of these three names: Zechariah – God remembers, God is powerful, God is merciful, God is mercy. And as we celebrate the birth of this baby, we accept the greeting of the angel. For us, it is also a moment of joy. Tomorrow, on the proper feast day, in this Co-Cathedral, we’ll have the narrative of the birth; today on the eve of the feast, we have the annunciation, the heralding of this birth, but we start rejoicing from now, in expectation of the birth of the one who is to baptise the Lord, and indicate us the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.
✠ Charles Jude Scicluna
Archbishop of Malta
Qari tal-Quddiesa
Qari I: Is 49:1-6
Salm: 138:1-3,13-15
Qari II: Atti 13:22-26
L-Evanġelju: Lq 1:57-66,80