Subj : September 23rd - St. Zachariah To : All From : rich Date : Tue Sep 22 2020 09:44:37 From: rich September 23rd - St. Zachariah (Also known as Zaccaria, Zacharias, Zachary, Zakariya) Memorial 23 September 5 November on some calendars St. Zachariah, father of St John the Baptist, by command of Herod, Soldiers murdered this holy prophet, stabbed him between the temple and the altar (MT 23: 35). Elizabeth died forty days after her husband, and St John, preserved by the Lord, dwelt in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to the nation of Israel. The Holy Prophet Zachariah and the Righteous Elizabeth were parents of the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. They descended from the lineage of Aaron: St Zachariah, son of Barach, was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, and St Elizabeth was the sister of St Anna, the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos. The righteous spouses, "walking in all the commandments of the Lord" (Luke 1:6), suffered barrenness, which in those times was considered a punishment from God. Once, during his turn of priestly service in the Temple, St Zachariah was told by an angel that his aged wife would bear him a son, who "will be great in the sight of the Lord" (Luke 1:15) and "will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias" (Luke 1:17).=C2 Zachariah doubted that this prediction would come true, and for his weakness of faith he was punished by becoming mute. When Elizabeth gave birth to a son, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit she announced that his name was John, although no one in their family had this name.=C2 They asked Zachariah and he also wrote the name John down on a tablet. Immediately the gift of speech returned to him, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, he began to prophesy about his son as the Forerunner of the Lord. When King Herod heard from the Magi about the birth of the Messiah, he decided to kill all the infants up to two years old at Bethlehem and the surrounding area, hoping that the new-born Messiah would be among them.=C2 Herod knew about John's unusual birth and he wanted to kill him, fearing that he was the foretold King of the Jews. Elizabeth hid herself and the infant in the hills. The murderers searched everywhere for John. Elizabeth, when she saw her pursuers, began to implore God for their safety, and immediately the hill opened up and concealed her and the infant from their pursuers. In these tragic days St Zachariah was taking his turn at the services in the Temple. Soldiers sent by Herod tried in vain to learn from him the whereabouts of his son. Then, by command of Herod, they murdered this holy prophet, having stabbed him between the temple and the altar (MT 23: 35). Elizabeth died forty days after her husband, and St John, preserved by the Lord, dwelt in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to the nation of Israel. On Greek calendar, Sts Zachariah and Elizabeth are also commemorated on June 24, Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist . Saint Quote: They are echoes and heartbeats of faithfulness and love. They are shadows of the hopes and joys and sorrows Padre Pio laid down at the foot of the cross on his own personal Golgotha. --Padre Pio Bible Quote: 10 For a day in thy courts is better =C2 =C2 than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God =C2 =C2 than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; =C2 =C2 he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold =C2 =C2 from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, =C2 =C2 blessed is the man who trusts in thee!=C2 Psalm 84:10-12= =C2 RSVCE <><><><> We must always pray, and not faint.--Luke 18:1 5. A man of prayer is capable of everything; therefore, it is of great importance that missionaries should give themselves to this exercise with particular earnestness; and as without it they will gain little or no fruit, so with its help they will become much more able to move hearts and convert souls to their Creator, than by learning and oratorical skill. --St. Vincent de Paul St. Francis Borgia was a man of much prayer, in which he would remain, as if in ecstasy, sometimes for six hours in succession, which appeared to him but a moment; and the mere sight of him in the pulpit would rouse the people to compunction. St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure and the Blessed Albertus Magnus confessed that they gained their learning more by prayer than by study. We read of St. Thomas, in particular, that not being able to understand a text of Scripture, he had recourse to prayer, and while he was praying with great fervor there appeared to him the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and explained the difficulty in a voice so clear and distinct that it was heard by his companion Brother Reginald. ( "A Year with the Saints". =C2 September: Prayer) --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .