Advent day 18

Luke 1:5-25         Advent day 18

          This reading reminds me of all the stories in Christian scripture that mirror readings from Hebrew Scripture, as if one was used as a pattern for the other. You could Google this and find an astonishing number of parallel passages.  This seems perfectly reasonable to me  since the early Christians were in fact Jews and were well acquainted with passages from Hebrew scripture. To get their message across they used imagery and passages people were familiar with, passages they themselves were familiar with. It also accomplished two other tasks. One was to tie Jesus' life and story to Hebrew scripture. The other, most importantly, was to to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Hebrew passages, He was the fulfillment of what the prophets had been saying.

             What does this have to do with Advent though? More than a literal translation or merely listening to a story, this passage conveys several key truths that are perhaps more important in Advent.

                 The fulfillment of life long dreams and desires that God wants to happen for us. Zechariah was a faithful servant, a man who abided in God. He is given a tremendous gift by God. When he is approached by the angel, the angel says not to be afraid. We, even today, should not be afraid of the good gifts of God. We should not be afraid of him speaking to us in our heart. We should not be afraid of accepting the good gifts he wishes to bestow on us.

              Sometimes we are afraid of receiving gifts. For whatever reason, for whatever actions we may have taken or not taken, we feel unworthy. God wishes us not to be afraid and in spite of our errors or failings, God sees inate immense goodness and his own Godliness in us. He wants the best for us.  Again not a selfish, self centeredness but goodness for each one of us.

        Accept the good gifts and graces of God your creator.

    

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,

there was a priest named Zechariah

of the priestly division of Abijah;

his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,

and her name was Elizabeth.

Both were righteous in the eyes of God,

observing all the commandments

and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren

and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest

in his division's turn before God,

according to the practice of the priestly service,

he was chosen by lot

to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.

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.

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.

And you will have joy and gladness,

and many will rejoice at his birth,

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,

and he will turn many of the children of Israel

to the Lord their God.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah

to turn the hearts of fathers toward children

and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,

to prepare a people fit for the Lord."

Then Zechariah said to the angel,

"How shall I know this?

For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

And the angel said to him in reply,

"I am Gabriel, who stand before God.

I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.

But now you will be speechless and unable to talk

until the day these things take place,

because you did not believe my words,

which will be fulfilled at their proper time."

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah

and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,

and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.

He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,

and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,

"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit

to take away my disgrace before others."