A bitter remedy for unbelief - Lk 1:5-25
Brought to Zechariah the promise of the birth of a son, later John the Baptist, sheds an important light on the virgin conception and birth of the Son of God. Zacharias and Elizabeth were an old and barren marriage, and they were no longer expecting a child. Now Zechariah learns that not only a son will be born to them, but that he will be a special gift from God to the people. In the angel's words, he certainly recognized Malachi's messianic prophecy about a predecessor who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Now Zechariah learns that his son will be the predecessor of the Lord.
In the history of the Old Testament, many times great men of God were born from sterile mothers. From the barren Sarah, the heir of the promise, Isaac, was born. It was a great test for Abraham's faith that God kept promising him descendants as many as the stars in the sky, and the years passed and his wife Sarah was still barren. Also, Jacob, the father of the chosen people, was born of a barren mother, Rebecca. From the barren Rachel was born Jacob's beloved son, Joseph, who saved his people in times of great famine. From the barren Hannah, the great leader of God's people, Samuel, was born. The mighty man of God, Samson, was also born from a sterile mother.
Thus, the birth of John the Baptist from barren Elizabeth joins the very characteristic of the Old Testament sequence of births of great God's people.
The spiritual message contained in this tradition is evident. The birth of these great God's people out of barren mothers was a sign from God that although they were born from women, they were first and foremost a gift of God himself to his people. And yet, although miraculously, they were born naturally from their fathers and mothers. And the virgin birth of the Son of God was an incomparably greater miracle. But because the Son of God is also for us a Gift of Gifts. We have received Him from the Eternal Father as our Savior, only in Him can we be saved.
It is also worth adding that the Evangelist Luke contrasts the disbelief of Zechariah with the faith of Mary. Until the birth of his son, Zechariah was to remain mute - and thus symbolize the attitude of God's people, some of which were to awaken only through the exhortation of John the Baptist. In turn, the faith of Mary, expressed in her answer: "Here I am, the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word", symbolizes all those who respond to the gift of the Savior with obedience. Only in eternal life will we be fully like Mary in her dedication to God.
One more thought
If our faith is not greater than that of Zechariah, then God also gives us different signs. He does not punish us for unbelief, but often gives us something that is difficult for us, sometimes suffering, so that we can see, wake up and begin to see God working in the world and in our lives. God, unfortunately, has to take various treatments to make us believe. Some of them are bitter, but the medicine is also bitter.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george