12 December 2025 – Friday of the 2nd week of Advent
Homily
In the first chapters of his Gospel, Saint Luke draws a parallel between Jesus and His precursor John. Thus, the account of the announcement made to Zechariah of the birth of John the Baptist is entirely parallel to the account we read of the announcement made to Mary of the birth of Jesus, which we read on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. In the passage from Matthew's Gospel that we have just read, Jesus himself draws this parallel between himself and John. John the Baptist therefore occupies a very special place in the Gospel, and likewise in the liturgy of Advent.