Recently I was given the opportunity to play Zachariah in a life-sized Nativity Play. With real sheep, camels, a donkey and a temple, Herod’s throne room, and a nativity staple as big as a house. Zachariah was an old man who did not believe the message of the angel. The angel had come to deliver good news that his wife Elizabeth was pregnant. Elizabeth was beyond the childbearing age. Zachariah failed to recognise the impossible. He is caught up in his own thinking. He is caught up in the science of his time. Logic, rationality, and science rules the day. Because he is not open to good news he suffers. Zachariah cannot speak. This is not just simply about a physical change, rather, this is a spiritual mystery and requires a certain level of trust. There is a deeper truth here beyond words. It raises the question who is Zachariah? This requires some deeper pondering and reflection in order for Zachariah to come to the truth. Zachariah suffers. Why is there suffering? Sometimes there is no answers. Sometimes there is no logic, rationality or science to explain the reason why. No words. No words.
But, it is not just I who play Zachariah. You do to. At different times you take on the person of Zachariah. I am not just talking about religious people. People with faith or people who can trust. Rather, in our life time when has someone else been an angel in our life? When has someone brought us good news and we have rejected it? When have we suffered because of our choices failing to accept the reality of what is real despite the mystery surrounding it and our reluctance?
Let us pray…
God our Father Send us angels into our life Friends, family and strangers Who will bring good news. Stretch our minds. Stretch our hearts. Turn us upside down and around. Play with us like playdough. Mould us. Shape us. Open our ears despite us not wanting to hear. Open our lips despite us not wanting to speak. Open our hearts when our minds cannot bear the truth. When we suffer, be with us. Accompany us in our suffering    So that we to know we are not alone.       We are your child, that despite our sufferings          There is good news which we might miss. May the good news give us hope So that we act in faith and love. May you speak our names Like Zachariah who declared “His name is Johnâ€. God our Father speak our name “Her/His name is……….â€
(Audio Available)
