Scripture, Luke 1 8-25; Advent 1 Nigel Bunce
The flame of Hope in a dark world. Yet, Advent is perhaps principally a season of Hope. That’s why the first of our Advent candles takes Hope as its theme for the week. Like the hope of the ancient Israelites for a Messiah who would usher in God’s righteous and peaceful reign.
Early Christians had the same hope, except that they looked forward to the return of Jesus to complete his ministry of “Kingdom-advent”. That’s to say, “Kingdom arrival”. Today, many Christians realize that Jesus left us – faltering humanity – to make God’s Kingdom a reality here on earth, as we keep alive the flame of hope for a world of peace, equity, and justice.
Faltering hope; Zechariah and Elizabeth
This Advent, we set aside the lectionary, in order to hear the story of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. Only Luke’s Gospel records this story. To what extent Luke elaborated on something from the oral tradition, we shall never know.
Zechariah was a member of one of the priestly families. While Zechariah was on duty in the Temple, the Angel Gabriel visited him. The same Gabriel who will later appear to Mary.
Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth hadn’t been able to conceive. The Hebrew Scriptures have many examples of women with difficulty in conceiving. I think of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Likewise, Rachel, wife of Jacob. Or, Hannah, mother of Samuel.
Like modern couples who can’t have children, Zechariah and Elizabeth must have felt heart-break. For them, the flame of hope had almost gone out. Their only options were to pray and to keep trying. Even when hope seemed to have disappeared. Because, in ancient Israel, childlessness was not just a lack of personal fulfilment. It was a disaster. There’d be no son to carry on the family name. Much worse, there was no CPP and OAS. Couples relied on their children to support them in old age.
Patriarchy and childlessness
In those patriarchal times, I doubt that anyone ever thought that infertility might be the man’s problem. Indeed, listen again to what Elizabeth said when she finally got the news that she would conceive. “The Lord looked favourably upon me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.” No question, lack of a son was Elizabeth’s fault.
But yet. The writers of the Hebrew Scriptures imagined God looking kindly on childless women. Thus, for Sarah, Hannah, and Rachel, God “opened their wombs” (in the Biblical phrase).
Zechariah’s response to the angel
So, as in those older stories, Zechariah and Elizabeth were getting a bit long in the tooth. The flame of hope for a child had almost died. Then, the angel Gabriel showed up. He told Zechariah, “Good news. God has heard your prayers. You folks are going to have a son. And not just any son. Your son will be great in the eyes of the Lord.”
Zechariah’s response is very like what happened in the story of Abraham and Sarah. When Sarah laughed at God because she was too old to conceive. Zechariah said, “Yeah, right. Look, we prayed to God for years and years to have children. But God didn’t answer our prayers. So, what’s different, now we are so old?”
That’s how I’d react if an angel told me that Michelle would get pregnant. Unfortunately for Zechariah, the angel Gabriel was less tolerant of back-chat than God had been with Sarah. So, poor old Zechariah. Gabriel chews him out for insubordination, and strikes him mute. Zechariah won’t speak again till Elizabeth has given birth.
Dark times, the flame of hope falters
Instead of criticizing Zechariah for his lack of faith, let’s try to put ourselves in his shoes. Imagine praying about something for a long time. But it just hasn’t happened. We can think of several possible situations.
Someone prays persistently for relief from arthritis so that they can go for country walks again. Someone else has been stuck in a low-level job for years. Always passed over for promotion, but they keep hoping things will change, with decreasing optimism.
Someone else had to give up their dreams to look after a sick relative, long-term. Or, an artist despairs of ever having a break-through and selling some paintings. For all these people, their hopes have never come about. So why should any of them expect things to change now?
It looks like it’s far too late. What if an angel shows up? He has good news. God is going to fix your problems. Your hopes, prayers, or dreams will become reality. Is this really an angel? Or is it a sick joke? That’s what Zechariah must have thought.
Hopes, dreams, and prayers
As churchgoers, we tend to think of these situations in terms of the unfortunate person didn’t get answers to their prayers. But, linking this to our Advent One theme of hope, perhaps we can think of Hope as an unexpressed prayer or dream.
We use the expression, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast”. This proverb comes from a poem by Alexander Pope. The arthritis sufferer, the disappointed office worker, the carer for the sick relative, the unsuccessful artist. All keep alive some flame of hope for a turn-around in their fortunes.
Even when that flame of hope seemed to have extinguished itself. As it had for Zechariah and Elizabeth. Yet maybe an ember still remains in the flame of hope. Maybe, after all, we can help to bring God’s kingdom closer. Perhaps we can come to grips with inequality, with climate change, and so may other pressing problems.
Even we – faltering humanity that we are — can make this Advent into a season to make God’s Kingdom a reality here on earth, by keeping alive the flame of hope for a world of peace, equity, and justice. Prayers answered; Dreams realized, Hopes fulfilled. With luck, without a crotchety angel to spoil the joyful occasion. Amen.