I was thinking about today’s Gospel reading from Luke 1:5–25 involving Zechariah.
One of my jokes is:
Gabriel: Zechariah, do you know what a silent retreat is?
Zechariah: No.
Gabriel: You are about to find out.
Still, It seems so indicative of the human condition. Your prayer is actually answered, maybe not as timely as you wanted, and your reaction is doubt. Not only is Zechariah’s prayer answered, but the answer is delivered by an archangel. And yet he doubted.
When the times arrive where we doubt God’s love and providence for us, it would be good that we were also delivered into silence. Time spent in silence so that on the other side we are filled with gratitude and our first words are ones of praise.
Zechariah was a Levite priest who would have been well aware of all the times in scripture, where barrenness became fruitfulness. Possibly he knew these stories well and believed in them, but his belief did not include that they could happen to him and his wife. I can relate to this in that my acceptance of the faith is total, and yet easily forget how God works in my life. That grace and miracles are alive for other people, but not for a spiritual dud like me. God can bring fruitfulness even out of my inner barrenness.
