My grandmother has a pomelo tree, the largest citrus plant in the Philippines, that she has tended to and watered every day for countless years. Despite all the constant care and attention to this elusive tree, it never produced even one fruit. Nevertheless, my grandma removed weeds around it with patient fidelity, watering it in the morning and afternoon, especially during very hot summer months. Then, one day, like a miracle, a bud sprung up; and after a few weeks, we enjoyed our very own pomelo fruit!

Today’s gospel speaks of a seemingly hopeless situation: Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted to have a child. Years passed and their deepest longing remained unfulfilled. Elizabeth carried the social stigma of not bearing a child. Other biblical stories indicate that the inability to bear a child was a terrible social shame (1). In today's readings, we see that Elizabeth considers her barrenness as a “disgrace before others” (Luke 1: 25). 

Being old, childless and barren, the odds were stacked against them. However, this desperate situation became fertile ground for God’s plan to be fulfilled. Despite Zechariah and Elizabeth's situation, their faith in God remained steadfast. They were “both righteous in the eyes of God, observing all of the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” (Luke 1: 6). With hope seemingly lost, they kept on anchoring their lives to God until their fidelity bore fruit.

It is easy to despair today—isolation persists, COVID-19 cases are widespread, division remains in our politics, the marginalized suffer more, lives are lost. Our hope might just be a flicker of light, overwhelmed by a growing darkness. Yet, we are constantly reminded that God’s fidelity to us never ends. He works in our lives, turning our mourning into joy, our doubt into faith and our despair into hope. Even though the odds are stacked against us, our faithful God works against obstacles.

May this Advent be a fertile ground for our hope to rise. May the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth remind us of God’s indwelling into the barrenness of our lives and our community. May our faith persist and anticipate God’s renewal in our lives.

1 https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/people/related-articles/barrenness