There are certain expectations about life that we have as we age: we will retire from our career’s work; we will have aches and pains; we will have some years and health to do things we lacked time to do before; we will have grandchildren whom we will enjoy; over time our children will increasingly take care of us as health and mind diminish; we will, in time, go to be with God.
Zechariah’s Expectations
Zechariah and Elizabeth, of today’s Gospel, had no such expectations as they aged. In their culture, all security for old age was bound up in being cared for by their children. They had no children. They had no security.
More, being childless was looked upon as a judgment from God of some, perhaps hidden, sinfulness. Their neighbors could look at them with sadness, but also with judgment and clucking of tongues.
Zechariah and Elizabeth had accepted their lot. They expected to die childless and alone.
Nonetheless, they were faithful to God.
When the angel appeared to Zechariah in the temple and told him his prayers for a child had been heard, it was hard for him to grasp it. The angel told him, “and many will rejoice at his birth; for he will be great before the Lord…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God…”
It was too much for the discouraged Zechariah to believe–not only a child, but a child who would be great before the Lord! The angel helped him by striking him dumb until the child would be born. (I suspect that Zechariah did not see that as a help at that time.)
We saw in Sunday’s reading that the child, eventually known as John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit even IN his mother’s womb. He jumped and kicked for joy when Mary and the tiny, tiny Jesus came into the room.
Zechariah’s Song of Praise
Today, the last day before we enter fully into the Mystery of Christmas, our Gospel is Zechariah’s beautiful song of praise to God. It is eight days since the baby’s birth. John is still mute. The rejoicing neighbors come to circumcise the child. They are about to name him Zechariah after his father. But Elizabeth says “Not so, his name is to be John.” It is hard to believe that could be correct. The neighbors think they are helping Zechariah out, to insist his son be named after him—what would be expected.
Then Zechariah writes down, “His name is John.”
And immediately Zechariah’s “tongue was loosed” and he speaks, blessing God. What he said is our Gospel today:
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
This Song of Praise Goes Round the World Today
This morning, EVERY morning, priests, deacons, religious, and many laity begin their day of prayer with Zechariah’s song of praise. It is part of Morning Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. Every evening, those same priests, deacons, religious, and laity who say the Divine Office, end their day of work or prayer with Mary’s Magnificat—the song of praise she expressed to Elizabeth when the still-in-the-womb baby John leaped for joy at Jesus’ hidden presence.
Elizabeth and Zechariah, who expected to die alone and forgotten, are a core part of the Church’s official daily prayer.
The canticles of joy of the one who doubted and the one who trusted form a consistent vessel of persistent joy and praise to God—for centuries—all across the world.
As Christmas comes this Holy Night, we approach it with expectations. Some are likely to be discouraged expectations, like those of Zechariah. Some will hopefully be trusting expectations, like Mary’s when Gabriel appeared to her.
Some of our expectations will likely come true. Uncle Chris and Aunt Claire will be late again. Toys and paper and paper be and general mess will be all over the house. Dinner will taste wonderful—even though the rolls got too done.
Some expectations will not come true. Some of those unexpected results will be wonderful. Others will be disappointments.
Yet, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David.”
When we trust in God, He exceeds our expectations.
Rejoice
Rejoice. God hears prayers and answers them. He heard Zechariah and Elizabeth. He heard Mary. The Lord does not depend on our expectations to come.
Enter into the Mystery of how God works. NOBODY expected a Savior born in a stable. People knew enough to expect—but not enough to trust or imagine what this Savior would mean.
Still too true for me some days. I doubt. But God hears and responds…often with surprises. His Kingdom comes. Whether I expect it or not.
Blessed and Merry Christmas!
Prayer:
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.”
