The figure of Zechariah.

  Perhaps, when looking at a memorial plaque or statue of a notable personality from any field, the thought has occurred to you: Who were their parents? How did they live? What did they do to make their child famous? We know very little about the parents of well-known personalities; we often learn about them only marginally, and yet they usually mattered in what would become of their son or daughter. This thought also became relevant while reading today’s Gospel, which tells of Zechariah’s offering of a sacrifice and his meeting with the angel Gabriel, who announces the good news to him. The predecessor of the Lord Jesus – John the Baptist, by his father and mother, came from the descendants of Aaron, from the priestly family, which enjoyed the most tremendous respect among the Jews. When a woman did not have a child, it was understood as a punishment from God for her and the entire family. This fate also befell Elizabeth and Zechariah. But both were righteous before God and kept all the commandments and statutes of the Lord blamelessly. Elizabeth and Zacharias were already advanced in age. The lot fell on Zacharias to enter the sanctuary and offer incense on the golden altar. It was a tremendous honor for Zacharias, as he represented the entire nation at this ceremony. Zacharias was aware of this honor. He was certainly overcome with excitement. It is also a time when the country is demanding the Messiah’s arrival. The hated Romans are spreading among their nation. The nation is more aware than ever that only the Messiah can deliver it from this sad state. Zacharias is aware of his old age, the years of his wife, and the fact that the Messiah will not come from their womb. In his younger years, he had hoped that God would hear his prayers. But even so, now he is asking for the coming of the future Messiah. He also has his goal in mind with the incense offering that he wants to make. Let us recall that when David established the Old Testament worship, he divided the priests into 24 classes. Each performed a week of service in the temple. It was decided by lot who would perform what service in his class. One of the priests entered the sanctuary every morning and evening, and there burned sacrificial incense on the so-called golden altar.

Zechariah also performed this service. At this offering, an angel announced to him the birth of a son. Instead of immediately believing, Zechariah thinks only of the obstacles nature has placed in the way of these words: infertility and old age. And yet the thought of hope flashed through his mind! After all, how many similar births does the nation know? After all, the mothers of Isaac, Samson, and Samuel were also of advanced age and gave birth to sons. Yet, Zechariah asks the angel, “How can I know this? I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But you will be mute and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:18-20).