Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole magnitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him into the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

- Luke 1:1-25

In recent readings, in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Jesus has been speaking to the disciples about the destruction to come in Jerusalem, and also about His return and the end of the age. (See the readings from last Saturday, Monday, Tuesday,  Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday).   On Saturday, Jesus finished His discourse, teaching about universal judgment:  "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they will also answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.  We have begun the cycle of readings for Christmas, which aren't progressing systematically through a particular Gospel but will be selected from the various Gospels for the season and Nativity.   Today we begin with Luke.  His introduction gives us to understand that he was not a disciple from the beginning, but his perfect understanding comes from direct sources, eyewitnesses of Christ:  the apostles themselves.  The Gospel is dedicated to Theophilus, a prominent Gentile who had received Christian instruction (see also Acts 1:1).  My study bible cites St. Ambrose, who noted that the name Theophilus means "lover" or "friend of God."  Therefore, the saint writes, "If you love God, it was written to you."

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.   Herod is Herod the Great (father of Herod Antipas), who ruled Judea from 37-4 BC.  He was known as a great builder, who made tremendous renovations to the temple, rendering it one of the "Seven Wonders of the World."  But he had an equally renown reputation as a ruthless and vicious ruler.  My study bible says that an ancient prophecy of Jacob indicated the Messiah would come when a king ruled who was not from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).  Herod was a non-Jew calling himself the king of Judea; as such, messianic expectations were extremely widespread.  Zacharias and Elizabeth are righteous people; not just outwardly observant, but truly inwardly, of the heart.  The text teaches us that the holiness of the Baptist comes at least in part through the faith and piety of his parents.  For a woman to be barren was considered a public reproach.  But like many women of her Jewish spiritual heritage (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary), Elizabeth's barrenness was part of the fulfillment of God's plan for the salvation of His people, says my study bible -- it is God's story and its unfolding that we are reading, as told by Luke.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole magnitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  In the priestly system, each was assigned to a particular division.  There were twenty-four divisions in all.  Each would serve a week at a time in rotation.  Their responsibilities in the various duties in the temple were assigned by lot.  Zacharias in this way is assigned the duties of the high priest.  My study bible teaches that this event takes place at the time of the Atonement, when the high priest would enter the temple and make offerings for the sins of the people.  Just as we believe happens within our own liturgical practice, angels minister continually at the altar of the Lord, though usually unseen.  My study bible says that those priests of pure heart, like Zacharias, are occasionally chosen by God to witness this angelic liturgy.  Isaiah writes of their song, repeated in our services; Revelation reveals their worship in heaven.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him into the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."   We remember that Zacharias was praying for the atonement of the sins of Israel (not a son).  But Gabriel's announcement tells us that both Zacharias' prayer for atonement and also Elizabeth will conceive a son, instrumental in the salvation history of Israel.  John the Baptist, says my study bible, will announce the atonement; he will identify Christ as "the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world" (see John 1:29).  The prophet Elijah was expected to reappear as forerunner of the second coming of the Lord (Malachi 4:5), as is several times noted throughout the Gospels.  John the Baptist will fulfill the spirit and power of Elijah as forerunner of the Lord's first coming (Matthew 11:14).

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.   My study bible says that Zacharias is disciplined for his lack of faith, and yet it also serves as proof that the announcement of Gabriel is true.  The Messiah, it explains, was expected to fulfill three crucial roles that were held by various people in the Old Testament:  prophet, priest, and king.  We consider Christ to be true Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-18), true King (Luke 23:3, Isaiah 9:7, Micah 5:2), and the true High Priest (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 4:14).  God has silenced the prophets for many years in preparation for the coming of Christ, and also permitted an illegitimate usurper (Herod) to occupy the position of the king of Judea.  In the last days before Christ's coming, the high priest is also silenced.  These three roles were therefore vacant, illegitimate and silent;  thereby all is ready for the Son of God to be revealed as Prophet, King, and Priest.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."   My study bible once again notes the significance of the fact that for so long there had not been a great prophet in Israel, not since the time of Malachi (1 Maccabees 9:27).  It heightened anticipation of the Christ, the Messiah and would make it more evident when He came.  John the Baptist, as prophet preparing the way for Christ, as kept hidden until Christ was conceived.  After that, John was revealed through the prophetic act of leaping in Elizabeth's womb (Luke 1:41).

The story of Christ begins within a framework.  That is, within a framework of salvation for God's people.  The story of Christ doesn't begin here; it begins in Genesis, in the "speaking into being" of the world, of Creation.  John's Gospel reflects this very clearly, with its prologue teaching us about God the Word and the reflective phrase, "in the beginning."  It's a whole history and the story of God and God's Creation, God and God's people.  Right into the middle of this story we begin with Zacharias and Elizabeth, and the story of the one who is called the Forerunner, John the Baptist.  Christ Incarnate is the centerpiece of the full story, and without John, God's story of the Christ would not be complete.  John's story begins here, within the framework of expectation of the people of Israel, those who await a Messiah, a Prophet, a King, a great High Priest.  In the shadow of the Roman Empire, with all its modernizing influences, its great and vast worldly power, even the beautification and stunning glorious rebuilding and fortification of the temple into something grand enough for Herod and for Empire, into all this comes our story which appropriately begins with the prayer in the temple.   As powerful and complex as the world becomes, the time is always right to think about reconciliation, righteousness, and what it means to be a "people of God."  Who is the world built for, who was the temple built for?  In the midst of the Roman census, a child will be born!  He comes into the center of our world, our reality, our lives, and our history.  All our concerns and care, the things that impress us, the power that we might fear, the mighty structures we admire, the creations we respect -- all of it comes down to that one child in the middle of time, who makes God human and thereby truly roots us in what is humane.    We begin with the parents of the Baptist, the Forerunner, who remind us that all this is really God's story, and that we are called to see God in the midst of everything we think we see and know.  We keep in mind this is happening as Israel has not seen a sign, not heard a prophet, not had a true king, for a long while.  It's not about what we expect, and it's not about what we would choose if we were to make up this story on our own.  In weakness God's strength is perfected.  As we count toward the birth of the Christ and its commemoration, let us remember that God came to the world to show us, to help us, to find our way to Him.  We're not all to be the same, as our recent readings in Matthew have taught.  But to truly learn, we each must find His way for ourselves and to help one another to do so, in all humility.   In what way does God's story unfold in you?  Zacharias illustrates what it is to deny a possibility when it is revealed by God, based on our own expectations.  Let us remember that the least likely may be the very chosen above all, and remember today, in each moment, in a prayer,  the God of small beginnings. 

An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

- Luke 1:5-12

As it is the time of Advent and the Christmas season, dear readers, I am taking a break from the usual Lectionary readings and postings on my blog.  It is a time for me of rest and reflection, a time for services and listening to our pastors, and participating with our communities.  My posts may be sporadic until Epiphany, at which time I will resume blogging commentary on the Daily Office Lectionary.  Today I begin with Luke 1, the story of prophecy, the "new beginning" for the people of God.

 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.   His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  Luke sets a historical date for us, in his attempt to be as thorough and reliable as he can.  Herod ruled Judea from 37-4 BC.  Known as a great builder of wondrous projects, he was also renown for his cruelty as a leader.  My study bible says, "An ancient prophecy of Jacob indicated the Messiah would come when a king ruled who was not from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).  As Herod was a non-Jew calling himself the king of Judea, the coming of Christ was surely at hand."

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.   But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.   My study bible points out that Zacharias and Elizabeth are righteous before God; that is, not merely in outward appearance, but to the core of their being.  The holiness of John the Baptist came in part through the faith and piety of his parents.  It is a case in which both are blameless in God's sight, but she bears a public reproach.  So we begin our story with one of a typical portrait of a woman -- as so many others that Christ will point out -- who loves God without blame, and yet bears a social stigma in the public eye.  My study bible says that "like Sara (Genesis 16:1), Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), Rachel (Genesis 29:31), Hannah (1 Kings 1:2), and Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, Elizabeth's temporary barrenness was in fulfillment of God's plan for the salvation of His people."

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  We remember that incense is a way of sending prayers to God; as the Psalm says, "Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice (141:2), and we are to be a pleasing fragrance to God (1 Corinthians 2:15).  Revelation speaks of the heavenly golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the holy, the saints (5:8).   My study bible explains that each priest was assigned to a division.  There were twenty-four divisions in all, each serving a week at a time in rotation.  The responsibilities in the division were decided by lot; Zacharias is here assigned the duties of the high priest.  This event takes place at the time of the Atonement, when the high priest would enter the temple and make offerings for the sins of the people."

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  My study bible says, "Angels minister continually at the altar of the Lord, though usually unseen.  Those priests of pure heart, such as Zacharias, are occasionally chosen by God to witness this angelic liturgy (see also Isaiah 6; Revelation 7:9-17)."

The story of Christ begins with a sort of ordinary day.  That is, we're given a scene from the regular operating of the temple -- the system of worship, the rotation, the service, the hour of incense, the prayers of the people outside.  A kind of ordinary couple are the first to populate the scene in this vignette taken out of history, as we focus in on the story.  We get the time set for us in the rather extraordinary reign of Herod the Great -- a builder of wonders for all to admire (including the awe-inspiring reconstruction of the temple), and a ruthlessly violent and cruel ruler, known even among authorities of the time as a man who commits exceptional levels of murder, even as a murderer of family members.  But this couple we focus in on has its own problems, and is also extraordinary in its own way.  They are people of exceptional faith, not only blameless in the Law but blameless before God, in the heart.  And they have a problem, a social problem:  Elizabeth is barren, and so she bears a social reproach despite her great sanctity, and her blamelessness before God.  We begin in this place of daily life, ordered as it has been for centuries in the divisions and workings of the temple, among the people and this now older couple.   But the extraordinary sense of the heavenly appearing in earthly life is about to happen.  It's not unheard of, but here in this place of Zachariah's turn to minister and perform his duties, an angel appears -- even as we know the angels celebrate with us, even as the incense burns to send up the prayers of the people of God.  The holy intersects our world.  It "breaks in" as some references in the Gospels will teach us, it breaks into our midst with a kind of violence of its own, a sudden terror seizes Zacharaiah at what must be a tremendous sight of an angel at the altar.  We think of cherubs as the sweet looking little child inspired by images of the ancient Eros (or Cupid), god of love.  But we should and must remember angels also as fiery beings, the ones of tremendous light and power and energy, many-winged heavenly beings who serve God.  Here is not just an angel but an archangel, a leader of angels, and impulsively and with knowledge of the spiritual history of Israel, Zachariah does well by his instinctive and informed "terror," because the greatest messenger of the completely unknown and infinite, mysterious God (the Lord, whom we know as the "I AM") has broken into this scene and appeared before him.  What will the angel bring?  An announcement of God is about a future unknown, taken into new territory, and who knows what task may be at hand to fulfill this word?   It is the kingdom of heaven breaking in, coming near, at hand, and Zachariah is right not to underestimate that anything may happen, that he is about to be called into something beyond extraordinary.  Let us remember the lightning-flash brightness, the energy and fire of these awesome beings who serve the glory of the Lord, whose word (as messengers) is God's command.  Zachariah is bold enough and humble enough to know this, and to be aware of the impact of such a command which becomes a responsibility, an oath.   This angel ought to inspire awe, even a kind of terror at the power of what is God's business, and what it might mean to be open to that power at work in one's life, and called upon to bear something into the world.   Let us remember the humility that understands that we cannot contain God nor God's power in our lives. 

Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zecharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

- Luke 1:5-25

In yesterday's reading, the lectionary took us to John chapter 5. Jesus was speaking to the temple leadership, who at that point in the Gospel were seeking to persecute Him. Jesus gave four different witnesses who testify to Him and to His identity and authority: God the Father, John the Baptist, the works that Jesus Himself performs in His ministry which are of the Father, and the Scriptures of the Old Testament through which Moses gave his testimony. The central question of authority is significant to Jesus' conflict with temple leadership -- Jesus says that His will is not His own, but rather He does the Father's will. He says, "I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from only God?"

In today's reading, the lectionary takes us to the story of the parents of John the Baptist, Zacharias and Elizabeth. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. As this is a reading from Luke's Gospel, there is once again the distinctive historical reference that corresponds to all the events he reports. My study bible notes that, "Zacharias and Elizabeth are a righteous couple of a priestly lineage, living always to fulfill God's will. But Elizabeth, like other well-known women of the Bible -- Sarah (Gen. 16:1), Rebekah (Gen. 25:21), Hannah (1 Sam 1:2) and others -- is barren, which was a public reproach (v. 25)." Elizabeth, we are told, is not only barren, but they are both well advanced in years - making it all the more unlikely they should conceive a child.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. My study bible teaches that "each priest was assigned to a division (v. 8; see 1 Chr. 23:3-6; 28:13). There were 24 divisions in all, each serving a week at a time by rotation. The responsibilities of the priests in the division were decided by lot (v. 9)." As they are from a priestly lineage, it is a part of his heritage to fulfill this duty; it is a reinforcement of the devout character of this couple.

And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zecharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." I quite like this fact we're given here in the story, that the "whole multitude of the people were praying outside" at this hour of incense, when Zacharias' duty is to burn the incense. It gives us a hushed scene of devout prayer, in which is set this great answer to prayer. A note reads, "Zacharias has prayed often for a son and now his prayer is answered. The angel (Gabriel, v. 19) promises a son who will be named John, meaning 'the grace of God.'" Incense is symbolic of prayer that rises to God and is pleasing: "May my prayer rise before you like incense" Psalm 141:2.

"And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." My study bible comments, "Note the description of the character and role of John the Baptist as an ascetic prophet who is to prepare the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah. Elijah (v. 17), one of the greatest prophets of Israel, was expected to reappear from heaven in order to anoint the Messiah." We know that Jesus will teach that John is the return of the spirit of Elijah, who announces and heralds the Messiah. This prophecy (including the quotation) is from Malachi 4:5,6. John, of course, will preach repentance and divine justice in preparation for the Messiah. This devout couple will produce a son who is wholly dedicated to the Lord, and will live his life as the greatest among the prophets.

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." A note reads, "Zacharias' question indicates a lack of complete faith in God's promise. Compare this with Abram's response when he was promised a son: 'he believed in the LORD' (Gen. 15:3-6)." What is the nature of faith? When we are confronted with a powerful revelation in Spirit, where do we find our truth?

And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." A note in my study bible says that "losing his speech serves both as discipline for Zacharias' unbelief and as a sign of the truth of Gabriel's announcement." What is it to stand in the presence of the holy, even an angel such as Gabriel? The hallowed setting of the temple, and Zecharias' duties at the hour of incense, the people at prayer outside, all give us a setting for the holy -- Zecharias is standing in a holy place and has a visitation from this great angel of Annunciation. It is a place where faith connects our reality to the holiness of God. How do we receive it as we stand in that place?

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. In the midst of the gathering of those at prayer, it's clear that something tremendous has happened. We witness, through Luke's Gospel, the power of the holy, and the effect of our response to it.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." Elizabeth is as devoted to God as is her husband. As does Mary, the mother of Jesus, she accepts wholeheartedly the gift of God. As Zecharias stepped into the community of the people, who then understood he had had a vision in the temple, so Elizabeth steps into community too, with grace. "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

In some sense, our Christmas story begins here, with the story of Elizabeth and Zacharias. The conception of John the Baptist begins the dawn of the light that is to come. As Christmas approaches, we can think about the kind of preparation involved in this great event, the great light of Christ, who will call Himself the light of the world. This is a bridge between the old covenant and the new. John the Baptist, born of devout parents, whose birth is announced by Gabriel to his father as he takes his turn to burn the incense in the temple, is the last in a line of prophets, and the greatest among them. It is he who will announce the Messiah, and prepare the people for this shattering, world-changing event. Let us remember what it is to stand in the presence of the holy, to be made a promise, and how to receive a gift. Christ will be our gift of grace, for the whole world. How do we receive Him, the light that is to come? What careful preparation has gone into the planning of that gift of grace so that you may receive it? How do you accept it and prepare for the light of the Incarnation? Once again, we return to humble - even the most unlikely - circumstances out of which great holy things are born. We prepare with prayer and devotion. Yet - are we ready?