Brian Smith, Director of Parish Engagement for Catholic Charities of the
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, reflects on the readings for Tuesday of
the Third Week of Advent.
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****Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent****
Today's Lectionary Readings
Today's Gospel focuses on Zechariah and Elizabeth's faith journey
with God and God's plan for their son, John the Baptist.
They were afraid about having a child at their age.  Fear is a feeling
we all encounter in our faith journeys. Catholic Charities employees and
volunteers often fear for the well-being of our clients and the overall
well-being of our agencies.  This is natural, because we care, and
because we are mission-driven organizations. Â
In times of fear, we must lean into our faith and our
relationships.  Faith draws us into communion with others. We can rely
on coworkers and board members to help us navigate the daily challenges
and frustrations we face. God puts these people in our lives to support
us. Just like God never deserted Zechariah and Elizabeth with the birth
of John, God will never abandon us in our work at Catholic Charities.
As faithful Christians, we can get frustrated and disillusioned with
what seems like the unchangeability of our lives and our circumstances.
This is a relatable feeling for those in social ministry as we take
countless phone calls, struggle through the endless paperwork, and the
constant grind of fundraising. It's so easy to lose sight of why we
are doing what we are doing, especially if we don't see results.Â
Today's readings remind us not to give up; God is with us, and God is
relying on us to help pave the way to Christ for others.  May we
continue to lead others to Christ through our prayers and our work, just
as John the Baptist did.Â
**Brian Smith is the Director of Parish Engagement for Catholic
Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and proudly serves on the
Parish Social Ministry Leadership Team for Catholic Charities USA.**
****
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