Luke 1:57-66
If we could put today’s gospel to music it might sound like a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Very down to earth and fun. Elizabeth has given birth and the residents of 1st century Judea come to visit. All the aunts and uncles, kids and neighbors gathered, everyone talking, nobody listening. We can just picture all the family and friends bringing food, taking turns holding the baby, offering opinions on feeding, diaper changing, sleeping. Everyone asking the name for the baby. Most are thinking it should be Zack, Jr. as a tribute to his very elderly father who has no voice at this moment. Elizabeth, being a strong woman (One of the many reasons I love Luke, he writes about some awesome women doing and saying amazing things), tells everyone to back off, they’re naming him John. Of course, the arguing begins, so group turns to Zechariah for his input. It’s interesting that the line reads “So they made SIGNS, asking his father what he wished him to be called.” (Luke 1:62). Some scholars speculate that Zechariah wasn’t just struck mute but he was deaf as well. Not to be disrespectful, but this game of charades only adds to the chaos that is unfolding. Zechariah grabs his trusty 1st century iPad (wax tablet) and writes that indeed the boy will be named John. With this writing Zechariah finds his voice! That stopped everyone in their tracks, because the angel visiting Zechariah with a message all of the sudden made sense.
Baby John is someone who is going to do some incredible stuff in his life. By naming his son John (in the Hebrew - Yohanan means “God has shown favor.”) Zechariah is letting everyone know that he recognizes the truth of what the Angel Gabriel promised earlier in this chapter.
I’m sure that once all the hullabaloo subsides everyone is back to adding their own two cents. “He’s got his mom’s eyes” “He has his dad’s hair.” “He cries a lot, he’s going to be a great singer.” “He kicks a lot, he’s going to earn a black belt in karate.” But looking at who we know John came to be, and the unbelievable circumstances of his birth, could any of our 1st century friends have predicted a guy who wandered in the desert eating locusts and honey, annoying those in power and eventually baptizing Jesus?
When a child is born, our hopes and beliefs about this new life are more our idea of who this person is going to be rather than who she/he actually will grow up to be. We can pretty safely say, that the baby born to Elizabeth and Zechariah was chosen by God to do great things because we know how story ends. But where do we fit into that story? Seamlessly. Each of us has been chosen by God to do great things. What we don’t always know (because most of us don’t get visited by the Archangel Gabriel), is what the greatness is that we are invited to do, how or when it will unfold. Zechariah, Elizabeth and their family and friends in Judea were able to put the puzzle pieces together after Zechariah regained his voice.
This story reveals that God has extraordinary plans for “ordinary” people. God finds us, God is among us, the manger isn’t a one and done. God comes into the fields and our homes and our places of work. God comes where life is being lived day in and day out, some days easier than others, without any fanfare. This quiet interruption/disruption plunges us into the unknown, making us afraid. When life begins to reveal itself and not in a manner we imagined, we become afraid. But that’s okay. Eventually that fear morphs into courage, followed by awe and ultimately an understanding of what we are to do with our lives. Elizabeth and Zechariah slogged through and overcame the fear and baby John was born. John lived a life of greatness, a life that in itself was filled with fear, but also with the joy and confidence of what he was being called to do; to recognize and share with others that God’s loving and enduring presence among and within each of us. Today we’re called to rejoice in the greatness of new life and the potential each of us has to share the good news. Sometimes though, we might have to embrace fear, in order for the miracles to occur so we can understand and see God.
Anonymous
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