A CHILD, THE SUNSET AND BELIEF
The Gospel 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 through 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 Media                                         "Heaven" (Live)
"You don’t need no friends to get back your faith again. You have the power to believe. I’ll believe it when I see it myself. I don’t need no one to tell me about heaven; I look at my daughter, and I believe. I don’t need no proof when it comes to God and truth; I can see the sunset and I perceive." 
Even though today’s music is created with the thought of making money more than anything else, every once in a while a song is produced which is an unabashed statement of belief in God. Such is the nature of this song by the group Live. It is a statement of the hand of God at work in creation—in a person’s daughter and in a sunset.
 
Likewise, the hand of God was evident to the people who witnessed the birth of John the Baptist. They saw the miraculous overtones that were connected with his entrance into the world, and they were amazed exclaiming, "What will this child be?" In effect, they were saying that they knew that he would be great, and that great things would happen as a result of his presence.

We live in a world that often ridicules traditional moral values. Most of our world may believe in God, but many times we do not act like it. We need statements of belief like the song, “Heaven,” but we must also know what belief in God really means. We must let it truly affect our lives.                  
THOUGHT
In your opinion, do most of the people who believe in God act like it? Yes or no and why? 
 
PRAYER
Good and gracious God, I profess my belief in you, that you are the God of the universe, the God who governs my life. As I live my life from day to day, help me show my belief in the way I live. Be with me, I pray.

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike
©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America