Gospel in Art: The angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah

The Annunciation to Zacharias, by Giovanni di Paolo, 1455-60 © Metropolitan Museum, New York

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 19 December 2023
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 painting

When we hear the word 'annunciation' we probably immediately think of the annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary. This morning's gospel reading gives us another annunciation, the annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Zechariah.

The angel announces to Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth is to bear him a son whose name is to be John. In Hebrew this name means 'God is gracious'. God is about to be surprisingly gracious to Zechariah and his wife. However, unlike in the case of Mary, Zechariah's faith is not quite adequate for this extraordinary announcement. It was indeed an extraordinary announcement as both Zechariah and his wife were advanced in years. God was about to do something that far exceeded Zechariah's expectations. Zechariah could not quite take it in. The angel then announced to him that his inability to hear what God was about to do would show itself in his inability to speak. Inadequate listening can often lead to inadequate speaking. Hearing comes before speaking and is more important than speaking. Hearing always comes first.

The gospel reading calls on us to be open always to the surprising ways of a gracious and generous God, and warns us that our limited expectations of God can be a block to God's work, leaving us less alive than God intends us to be.

Our painting from circa 1455 by Giovanni di Paolo, one of the most important figures in the history of Sienese painting, is the first panel, the first episode of an ambitious narrative cycle he painted: a series of twelve scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist. In our painting, we see the incredulous Zechariah performing his priestly duties by the altar. It is exactly then that the angel in our painting is appearing to him. The angel has a stern look. The whole scene is painted in an elaborate architectural setting where the domes and the lantern recall Brunelleschi's celebrated cupola which crowns the Duomo in Florence.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-1-5-25-2023/