Elizabeth's Persistence in What God Asked of Her

In today's Gospel, Luke 1: 57-66, we are presented with the birth of John the Baptist and the eighth day when he was brought to the temple for circumcision.  When asked what name they were to give him, Elizabeth says" John is his name." The people object, wanting to name him after his father Zachariah. Scorning Elizabeth, they turn to her mute husband, who writes: "John is his name."

Elizabeth persists in spite of the fact that the people reject her statement: "John is his name."    She is firm in her faith, knowing that that was the name the angel told Zachariah would be his. She stands up for what she believes in a culture where women were discounted, shoved into the background, disbelieved, as in many instances today. We still face opposition and put-downs because we are women.  Elizabeth would have none of it and persisted in what she believed and got her point across! She would not be shoved aside and overruled!  "John is his name."

What is God asking me or you to hold onto?  What is it that you, that I, know is true and needs to be made known, even though we may be shunned, discounted, shoved aside, or another's position counted over yours/mine? Do you and I remain true to what we are being asked to make known? Or do we hide ourselves and say nothing, do nothing?

Lord, help us remain faithful to what we know you are asking of us! Help us speak up when you are asking us to make known our thoughts, because we know what we are thinking is right and needs to be expressed!  Help us do what you are calling us to do, even if no one else is doing it!