Zechariah was a Jewish priest and became the father of John the Baptiser, The Law required incense to be offered twice a day (and some Episcopalians get their knickers in a twist over incense twice a year!) and there were 24 rotating shifts. Whilst on duty, Zechariah had a vision in which he was told that he would sire a son (although his wife was post-menopausal), that the son would be named John, that John would be a major player converting many souls, and that John would be a Nazirite -- a member of a small cult of Jews who abstained from alcoholic beverages.
Zechariah responded in disbelief and, as the story goes, was struck dumb. Elizabeth became pregnant and delivered the baby. The eighth day, the day set aside for naming and circumcision (forerunner of baptism), it was customary for a male child to be given his father's name or at least that of a relative. However, Zechariah wrote out that the name is John, a name no one in the family had. With this sign of a renewed faith, his inability to speak came to an end..
What became of this child after that? Well, tradition holds that Elizabeth hid him a cave during the slaughter of the Innocents; and, of course, John went on to be the forerunner of the Messiah and ultimately was martyred like his successor cousin Jesus. Zechariah, now a Christian priest, was killed between the Temple and the altar for his faith (Mt. 23) Accordingly, he is honoured by the Church as a martyr.
Zechariah was one whose faith and openness to change grew over time. He was blessed because he came to see that there can be new truth, new revelation, even a new Covenant. Let us likewise be always open to the possibility that God is doing a new thing.
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