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Gospel Reading - The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷By now Elizabeth’s waiting was over, for the time had come for the baby to be born — and it was a boy. ⁵⁸The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives of how kind the Lord had been to her, and everyone rejoiced.

⁵⁹When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They all assumed the baby’s name would be Zacharias, after his father.

⁶⁰But Elizabeth said, “No! He must be named John!”

⁶¹“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” ⁶²So they asked the baby’s father, talking to him by gestures.^a

⁶³He motioned for a piece of paper and to everyone’s surprise wrote, “His name is John!” ⁶⁴Instantly Zacharias could speak again, and he began praising God.

⁶⁵Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread through the Judean hills. ⁶⁶And everyone who heard about it thought long thoughts and asked, “I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in some special way.”

⁸⁰The little boy greatly loved God^b and when he grew up he lived out in the lonely wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

1. Zacharias was apparently stone deaf as well as speechless, and had not heard what his wife had said.
2. “became strong in spirit.”