Shirley Redekop and Mark Diller Harder
(Zechariah and Elizabeth are on opposite sides of the stage. Zechariah is sitting at a desk with a scroll. Elizabeth is baking bread at a table)
Zechariah:
I had pretty well stopped praying, offering my voice up to a God who I wasn’t sure I could trust to answer prayer. It happened slowly, over time. No big rebellion. Almost a fading away, a silencing of something that had been so much a part of me.
I have always been a very religious person. People would see me as righteous and upright, living blamelessly before God, keeping all the commandments. After all, I became a priest. The temple was my second home. These roots go deep – they are in my blood – all the way back to the time of King Solomon and the building of the Temple, when us Levites were given the responsibility and privilege of ministering over the Temple. I was part of the priestly order of Abijah, the 8th of 24 orders, given our one week twice a year to serve in the inner sanctuary, that blessed individual priest chosen by lot. A priest should know how to pray, right? … and of course, I could do the public thing, but my inner prayers, my real honest to goodness prayers to the God I had loved, had grown silent.
The most fervent prayers of my life were for my beloved Elizabeth to get pregnant and bare a child – to be a family in that way, to carry on our lineage, to enjoy the blessings of a baby and watch them grow up. But alas, it would just never happen, no matter how fervent our prayers. I saw what it was doing to my wife and to our relationship – it got harder and harder to talk to each other. There was that sadness in her eyes, that shame, that disgrace. People talked. You got looks. We felt lesser than, slowly pushed to the side of everyday life, like we didn’t really matter. And so my prayers became shorter and fewer and further in between, until one day I realized I had stopped praying, I just didn’t have any words anymore.
And then the miracle happened, a day I would never have predicted. My name, Zechariah of the order of Abijah, was chosen by lot to take my turn in the inner sanctuary of our Lord, to offer the incense and sacrifices and yes, prayers. If felt like a one in a million chance. Maybe now people would notice me again. I did not feel up to it, but also knew that just maybe, this would be what could renew my spiritual life, that felt so dead. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed how that would happen.
There I was, offering incense, when a voice shocked and terrified me to the core. It was an angel ‘Fear not Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. (my prayer?) Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.’ I said something about not really believing this, because I was an old man, but really what I meant was that I was not sure if I could trust an answer to prayer, not now, not after so many years – I had almost forgotten my original prayer, sounded out and disappeared into the universe so long ago.
The response felt harsh! I was told I would become mute, unable to speak, because I did not believe the angel’s words. Sure enough, I came outside of the sanctuary and I literally could not get a sound out of my vocal cords. I was silent and could only motion with my arms and hands. It was then I realized that even though I could not speak now, I had really lost my voice many years ago already.
Elizabeth: (looking at baby John): Little John, what a blessing you are to us. I never thought, especially at my age, we’d have a child. But God’s plans are so much bigger than ours. I remember the looks and all the gossip of others, wondering why I was barren. It was so hurtful and shaming. And yes, I questioned this too. Was it Zechariah? Was it me? Had we sinned against God and it was a punishment? We went to the temple faithfully, observed all the Lord’s commands, we did our sacrifices, we prayed, we cried, Why God why? Zechariah is even a priest in the Lord’s temple. Many years, and I still was barren.
Until that confusing amazing day. Zec was gone for the week doing his priestly duties at the Temple as usual, and he came home early, unable to speak! He was totally mute; for once. 🙂 I knew something happened in the Temple. I was so confused and worried. Using hand motions, he showed me we were going to have a baby! What?? At my age? I almost burst out laughing. Did he fall asleep in the Temple and have this crazy dream?
But looking at Zec, I knew he was serious, and I remembered the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah. God worked a miracle in their old age, so I guess Zechariah and I can expect a miracle too. And not much later I was ‘with child’, morning sickness and all.
Now, we were so excited, but oh so nervous of losing this baby, plus a bit of embarrassment, and Zech was still speechless, so we kept this quiet for five months until it couldn’t be kept under wraps anymore. And I wanted to spread the word that ‘The Lord had done this for me-he has shown me his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people’. So I held my head high when I was out, and noticed the surprise on people’s faces. Although, during this time, Zechariah let it be known to me that the baby will be a boy (how does he know that?) and we will name him John. John? Why John? There is no one in our families named John; that’s against tradition. We had quite the silent argument over that. Well, I wasn’t silent. It was very frustrating trying to communicate with Zech, until we worked out how to understand each other in new ways. We had too, we were going to be parents soon!
Zechariah:
You won’t believe how hard it was not to be able to speak. It’s the everyday things. Requesting food or water. Talking to a neighbour. Telling your wife about how your day went. Trying to argue, or express a different opinion, with your wife in a constructive way. Asking for directions…. Okay, as a man I never did that before either. But slowly, we figured it out. I could use hand signals. I could write things out. I grunted a lot. I had to learn how to communicate non-verbally. It is amazing how much of our communication does not actually use words.
After awhile, I got used to it, and do you know what, it became almost freeing. I started to listen more, to pay attention to what others were saying. To take in the non-verbal cues. I realized how much space I used to take up in a room. I finally had to shut up and was able to listen. There was a gentleness and kindness that emerged between Elizabeth and I. We had to really work on communicating with each other – this pregnancy was big stuff. And we found ways to understand each other, without me being able to use words. There is a kind of intimacy in that, a new level of caring. I think of it as a special time that brought us closer to one another. Life had slowed down, with more silence, but also more thoughtfulness and reflection.
It was Elizabeth that caught on first – that knew that we were somehow part of something much bigger than ourselves. It started with the visit with her cousin Mary – who also was with child. They had an understanding with each other, and I was good with that. She was like a mentor to Mary, a guide.
I saw Elizabeth truly happy for the first time in years. She seemed so wise and so radiant and so care-free, all at the same time.
We rejoiced at the healthy birth of a son. We were so delighted and overjoyed. My heart couldn’t stop praying! On the eighth day we went to circumcise our boy, for that was the custom. This is also when a child is named. The angel had told me to name the child John, but I couldn’t speak, and I didn’t want to disappoint my family. Everyone was mummering about naming him Zechariah after myself, the Father – that is the tradition. Again, it was Elizabeth that took the lead. She said an emphatic ‘NO…. he is to be called John.’ It was like Elizabeth had found her voice. That moment confirmed everything about her understanding, her getting it, her knowing that this baby was about more than her and I, about more than our family or our community or our familiar religious traditions. This baby was destined for big things. This gave me courage too, and I wrote down the name John on a writing tablet, and suddenly my mouth opened, my tongue regained its movement and freedom, and I could speak. Words of praise and thanksgiving just bumbled and blurted out. It was like I was praying, but true, honest, from the heart, words and prayers of gratitude and praise, for God is so good. I have found my voice too! I don’t know what this child will become, but he will be led by God and be a part the bigger purposes of God for our world. I can’t wait to see what he will become. Thanks be to God.
Elizabeth: At around 6 months into my pregnancy, my young cousin Mary, who I found out through the family grapevine was also pregnant came for a visit. I think she needed to get away and had heard that I too was pregnant. When she arrived at her door and I gave her a big hug, the child leaped within, and something changed within me. I felt the Holy Spirit so strong within me, and knew this child that Mary carried was someone special. I exclaimed these words to Mary, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear. But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’ Blessed are you who believed that the Lord would fulfill this promise to you.’
Mary and I spent the rest of our time together pondering what may be ahead, knowing our babies had a special purpose to fulfill. Like Hannah of old who gave her only son Samuel to live in the Temple with Eli, you little John, and Mary’s baby are gifts from God, meant to fulfill God’s purpose in the world. Before Mary headed home, we reassured ourselves that our initial disgrace, and all the gossip didn’t matter, our God was in control and we are favoured by God.
So, when it was time for your birth, little John, the neighbourhood rejoiced with us. You were a boy, just as Zec said. And when the priests came to circumcise you, they wanted to name you Zechariah after your father, I said No, he is to be called John! Confused, they turned to your father and made signs to see what he wanted you to be named. He wrote John on a tablet, and immediately he could speak again! We were all praising God.
And that’s why, little John, your birth story became big news around Judea! Oh, the places you will go.
Zechariah (stands up and moves towards Elizabeth): Elizabeth!
Elizabeth: (also stands up): Zechariah!
Zechariah: (Looking down on the baby) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his child David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Elizabeth (also looking down at the baby) Thus God has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
and has remembered his holy covenant,the oath that he swore to our ancestors Abraham and Sarah,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
Zechariah: And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give God’s people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
Elizabeth: Because of the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Both: AMEN!
(Zechariah and Elizabeth walk off stage)