In today’s Gospel we hear an Annunciation Story. It is not the Annunciation Story to Mary of the birth of Jesus but the Annunciation Story to the priest Zechariah of the birth of John the Baptist. Luke has purposely made these two Annunciation Stories as well as their respective birth stories into parallel accounts. Even in the annunciation of his birth John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord Jesus. Like Mary, the angel Gabriel appears to the priest Zechariah. This appearance takes place in the Jerusalem Temple at the time of the evening incense offering. Zechariah’s duty as priest is to enter the sanctuary and place incense on the incense offering. Once he has done this, he is to come out to bless the worshipers gathered outside. Luke emphasizes the piety of both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth: “Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.”
The angel announces to Zechariah that his wife will give birth to a son. He will be a source of “joy and gladness.” This child John will be “filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb.” John’s call and mission is to be a prophet and even more than a prophet as Jesus explicitly says later in the Gospel:
“A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom scripture says: ‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.’” (Luke 7:26-27).
John’s call is to prepare the way of the Lord, to prepare the way of Jesus. During this season of Advent, we too are called to prepare the way of the Lord and the Advent or coming of Jesus that we will celebrate on Christmas Day. Like John the Baptist we have been filled with the Holy Spirit through our Baptism. We are called not to save the world but to help people to see and recognize the presence of the loving God in their midst. Like John we call people to repent in the sense of turning to God. As soon as we turn, we see that God has already turned to us and is waiting for us with open arms.
Image: “Angel Appearing Zacharias William Blake” by The Metropolitan Museum of Art is marked with CC0 1.0.