Today November 5

Today is the traditional feast of Saints Elizabeth and Zachary, parents of St. John the Baptist. We know a bit about them: Zachary was a priest from a town four miles southwest of Jerusalem, he was in the eighth group under the high priest Abia, he and his wife Elizabeth were childless. They were not "child-free" as my "childless by choice" friend calls it! Yes, you may have more money and more freedom as a childless couple, but you go without a treasure and a blessing no amount of money can buy. "Give me children or I shall die!" says Rachel (Gen. 30:1). Just as one cannot buy love, so one cannot buy children . . . not really. "Were a man to offer all he owns to purchase love, he would be roundly mocked." (Song 8:7) But you can pray for them, and so they prayed for many years.

And so one day, in 7 BC, when all the world was at peace, Zachary went in to the ante-room of the Holy of Holies to offer incense and suddenly there appeared an angel. "Do not be afraid," he said, "Thy prayer has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth is to bear thee a son, to whom thou shalt give the name of John." (Luke 1:13). The name "John" was itself a sign, meaning "Yahweh has shown mercy." But Zachary demanded a sign, and was one ever given him! He was struck dumb. Although *I* think it's a sign of God's sense of humor, the Angelus Book of Saints says it was "a sign which served also to purify his faith." Then he went home and through the use of sign language and a wax tablet, he related to Elizabeth the good news. Then they awaited the birth of their child. Wait a minute. I think they skipped something there! :)

When the child was born (with the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was visiting -- kind of a "working vacation" for her, don't you think?), they were going to name the child after the grandfather (the Jews didn't cotton much to "juniors," to avoid confusion with the fathers). But then Zachary wrote the immortal words: "His name is John." And his tongue was loosed and he gave us the wonderful prayer the "Benedictus." Then he and Elizabeth settled down to watch their beloved son grow "and his spirit achieved strength." Saints Zachary and Elizabeth, pray for us.