Today's Gospel in Art - The Angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah

The Angel appears to Zacharias, Domenico Ghirlandaio 1486 © Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Gospel of 19th December 2020 - Luke 1:5-25

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years.

Now it was the turn of Zechariah's section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord's sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying.

Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, 'Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.'

Zechariah said to the angel, 'How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.' The angel replied, 'I am Gabriel who stand in God's presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.' Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had received a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb.

When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. 'The Lord has done this for me' she said 'now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.'

Reflection on the Fresco Painting

The fresco painting we are looking at today, by Domenic Ghirlandaio, is part of a series he made in the Tornabuoni family chapel in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence. All the paintings depict scenes about the life of John the Baptist. Here we see the old priest Zechariah going about his day-to-day duties in the temple when suddenly the angel Gabriel appears to him, to the left of the altar. The angel tells Zechariah that he will soon become the father of a son who must be named John. Zechariah asks for a sign, as he finds it hard to believe the angel. Gabriel then tells him he will not be able to speak until his son is born… When he leaves Zechariah is indeed struck dumb.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were an elderly couple, and hence an angel appearing to tell them that they would have a child came as a huge surprise… As the Gospel of St Luke starts, the evangelist wants to make clear that our God is a God of surprises… God's ways are not our ways, and thus we can expect unusual and magnificent things to happen when we are close to Him. Note that between today and Christmas Day, the readings at mass feature three women in the Bible who became pregnant against all the odds: Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; the unnamed mother of Samson; and Hannah, mother of Samuel… These readings remind us that God is in control of our story, the human story… and intervenes graciously... full of surprises….

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/641

Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php