Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies… “At that time, I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together; yea, I will make you renowned and praised among the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.
I assume these comforting words from the prophet Zephaniah were chosen for the lectionary because they are so totally fitting for this season of hope and joy (I’m not sure we hear his voice at other times).
However, given the state of affairs in the Middle East since 1948 and before, it can be very difficult indeed to see how the prophet’s vision can actually come to fruition - (what will Israel do if Iran develops the bomb?) – except, perhaps, in a time too far out to imagine.
In today’s Gospel, Zechariah, because of his and Elizabeth’s advanced ages, doubts the angel Gabriel’s message that they are to become the parents of John the Baptizer. As a result, he is silenced until the birth of the child. In much the same vein, Abraham’s wife Sarah laughed overhearing the angel’s message to her husband that they were to have a son in their old age.
So, even though we all know that anything and everything is possible with God, we still have our doubts when things seem improbable or impossible.
We have seasons for our Savior’s birth, his death, and resurrection. At every Eucharist we recite the mystery of faith “Christ will come again”. Obviously we cannot have a season for a future event, but is it possible, is it reasonable to say the Church is lacking in its yearning for, its praying for Christ’s second coming, a time when prophecies such as Zephaniah’s come to pass?
“Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
(Sam Davenport)
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