Neighbors and relatives rejoice with Isabel, but not with Zacarias, because there is always a certain shame in talking to a mute and relating to those who have fallen into disgrace. And so, shame becomes an accomplice of coldness, the discomfort of the unfortunate increases and he feels left out.
Mary lets all the attention go to Elizabeth, but she notices that Zechariah feels marginalized. She approaches him and rejoices with him. She, who knew his confidences, knew that he had hoped to regain his voice with the birth of his son. So she knows that he might now be discouraged, and she warns him with a word of encouragement. He tells her that the recovery of her voice will come suddenly, when God wills it, and it will be like a new birth. He advises her not to think about when it will happen, because it cannot be predicted. But the time is near, because two other prophecies that the angel had spoken had been fulfilled: "Elizabeth will bear you a son." y "many will rejoice at his birth". The third word that referred to Zechariah -"you shall have joy and rejoicing."- not yet fully completed: joy yes, but not yet jubilation, because it lacks the voice for jubilee.
"Zechariah: it is time to cultivate faith, hope and priestly wisdom. The day will come when you will recover your voice and then you will praise the Lord as you have never done in your life." Mary prayed to the Son of the Most High who was growing in her womb, that he would ask his Father to restore Zechariah's voice soon, so that he could make known to the world the works that God had worked in him.
There was always much harmony between Zechariah and Elizabeth. Everything that had happened in the temple, Zechariah had told his wife, with writings and gestures. Also the detail of the name: "You shall name him John.". Elizabeth, aligned with God's will and with her husband, overturns the traditions of the family and the people. Zechariah is questioned with a simple gesture. They know that he listens and that he understands, but they leave him aside. They assumed he would agree to give his name to their son, but they did not ask him first. Zechariah suffers to the end the embarrassment of neighbors and relatives who do not speak to him and only nod to him, even though he is only mute, not deaf and dumb. Zechariah asks for a tablet on which to write so that there can be no doubt and finally he can give an outward sign of voluntary adaptation to the message of the angel and therefore of God: "Juan is his name." writes.
God accepts Zechariah's gesture of obedience and faith and loosens his tongue, and Zechariah speaks prophetic words of blessing and praise: "And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Most High: for thou shalt go before the Lord to prepare His ways."
Homily on the readings of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaa small one-minute reflection for these readings.
