But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
This was a familiar story in Israel's history, reminding us or Sarah the mother of Isaac, Manoah's wife, the mother of Samson, and of Hannah the mother of Samuel. God had been known to respond and make a woman who was naturally barren to be supernaturally fruitful. Could this theme recur so frequently because it described not just individuals but also, in a way, the human condition? For is it not the case men and women are meant to bear fruit for God but often find the soil of their hearts barren and lifeless? This theme is therefore a sign of hope whenever we feel the weight of our own natural limitations. If we will trust in him God will delight to make us supernaturally fruitful as well. He will do this even if we are "advanced in years" and it seems to be too late from our point of view.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
Angels often inspire holy fear by their overawing presence. Yet this fear is meant to dispose those to whom they come to listen with obedient ears. Then such fear can lead to wisdom. But if the recipient of an angel visit allows fear to close him in on himself, as perhaps Zechariah did, then such fear will not lead immediately to wisdom.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
Fear was a step along the way. If Zechariah had trusted the angel his heart could have been unlocked to believe his words. All of the good things the angel prophesied would not then have seemed like potential disappointments. But it seems that all of this sounded to Zechariah to be too good to be true. This was an attitude of fear which refused to be led on to hope. When Mary heard the announcement of the angel about the birth of her own Son she did not doubt, but asked how it would come about. Her holy fear made her open and receptive to the message Gabriel delivered. But Zechariah did doubt and demanded proof from his heavenly messenger.
Then Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
Was Zechariah not steeped in the Scriptures of his people? If he was than surely this event wouldn't have been so incomprehensible. Or was he unable to believe that he was actually connected as a part of that same story? There were so many possible doubts which his fear might have caused him to entertain. But even though Zechariah's response was not perfect it would not hinder God's plans. Rendering Zechariah speechless was more than mere punishment. Because he was unable to speak it forced him to stop speaking his doubts and thereby giving them power. It made him more open to consider the things he heard. Imagine if one of the first things he heard was someone reading our first reading about Samson, or one of the other miraculous births from the bible. Silence was therefore not so much a punishment as a purification. Silence was the right posture to welcome God's word. And this is no less true for us who long to welcome his Word at Christmas. We need to let go at least a little bit of those thoughts and words of ours which are merely human and inherently limited in order to make space for Jesus. Few do this and so it is often the case that he only finds a stable and a manger to welcome him. But if this is the condition of our hearts we can be encouraged that this is exactly the sort of place to which he comes.
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