they rejoiced with her. When, on the eighth day, they came to attend the circumcision of the
child, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “Not so; he
shall be called John.” They said to her, “But no one in your family has that name!” and they
made signs to his father for the name he wanted to give him. Zechariah asked for a writing
tablet, and wrote on it, “His name is John;” and they were very surprised. Immediately,
Zechariah could speak again, and his first words were in praise of God.
A holy fear came on all in the neighborhood, and throughout the hill country of Judea the
people talked about these events. All who heard of it, pondered in their minds, and
wondered, “What will this child be?” For they understood that the hand of the Lord was
with him.
Reflect
It’s easy to overlook the courage of Elizabeth and Zechariah. Their courage begins long
before their appearance in the Gospel. Luke tells us that they were faithful Jews, obedient to
the Lord’s commandments all their lives. That fidelity was a sign of their courage since their
childlessness would have been seen by their community as a sign of God’s disfavor.
Despite this perception, Elizabeth and Zechariah continue to obey the Lord. They
needed even more courage after the angel’s announcement. Elizabeth’s pregnancy at such
an advanced age must have caused a lot of gossip. It’s no wonder she stayed home for the
first five months!
But Elizabeth found her courage to greet Mary and affirm their miraculous pregnancies. When
she gave birth to her son, Elizabeth courageously speaks up to her neighbors, giving her son his
name against their objections, a decision confirmed by Zechariah who regains his voice to sing
God’s praise.
No matter our age, we can draw strength from the example of these holy people. May we
witness to our faith with the same courage.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023