Useless

In today’s Gospel (Luke 1:57-66, 80) we have the familiar story of the naming of John the Baptist: a process wrested away from the parents, whose voices seem useless. The mother’s voice seems not respected and the father’s voice does not work at all.

It does not take too much of a metaphorical stretch to apply this situation to our own situations today. Our voice as believers in this world often seems useless: either we feel vocally paralyzed because of our sinfulness or our voice is simply and blatantly not respected. Meanwhile, the world not only goes on its own way, it also tries to wrest control of our children’s lives.

Zechariah, however, keeps trying, using alternate means of communication that meet with some success. Then, God intervenes: Zechariah speaks and “all who heard these things took them to heart.”

In the first reading (Isaiah 49:1-6), the prophet openly expresses his frustration and his faith.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.

So too you and I may feel frustrated – that our faithful words and deeds are useless.

Today’s readings encourage us to persevere, not only because our reward will be great in heaven, but because God’s grace can use what seems useless in ways more powerful than we can imagine for his glory and for the good of those whom he loves.