MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 23 DECEMBER
December 23, 2025
FEAST OF SAINTS IRMINA AND ADELE, ABBESSES – 24th DECEMBER
December 24, 2025
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
23 DECEMBER, 2025
Luke 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
The birth of John the Baptist unfolds quietly yet powerfully, revealing God’s faithfulness at work beyond human expectations. Elizabeth’s joy is complete, not only in the gift of a child but in the fulfillment of God’s promise after long years of waiting. When Zechariah insists on the name “John,” obedience replaces doubt, and his voice is restored. This simple act of faith opens the way for praise and awe. The neighbors sense that this child is set apart, and a holy reverence spreads among them, for God’s hand is clearly at work. The passage reminds us that when we trust God’s word and surrender our own plans, God’s purposes are revealed, often in ways that inspire wonder in others.
PRAYER
Lord God, You are faithful to Your promises and attentive to the cries of Your people. Teach us to trust Your word even when it challenges our expectations. Free us from doubt, open our lips to praise, and help us to walk in humble obedience. May our lives, like John’s, point beyond ourselves and stir reverence for Your presence at work in the world. We place our hope in You, knowing that Your hand guides every moment of our lives. Amen
