a christmas reflection: the silence of zechariah
in the gospel of luke, the angel gabriel takes away zechariah's ability to speak for the entire time his son, john the baptist, is in the womb. the reason zechariah is struck dumb, it seems, is that he expresses doubt when the angel tells him that his wife elizabeth, who is advanced in years, will bear a son. the scene is reminiscent of the divine announcement to abraham and sarah that she will bear a child, where sarah laughs and is rebuked by the divine visitor. when gabriel tells mary that she will have a child, she too is incredulous, because she has never been with a man. curiously, however, her doubt does not earn her a rebuke, but rather an explanation that the child she will bear will not come by a human father but by the holy spirit. i am not sure why gabriel responds differently to each of them.
zechariah's silence is a rebuke, and it is a forced silence. nevertheless, i find myself feeling that there is some meaning to his silence, and that if this silence is a curse, it is also somehow a blessing. the first words zechariah speaks after his silence are praises to god after john has been named. (lk 1:64) two verses later, luke records the psalm, or canticle, of zechariah (1:67-69). this hymn of praise is part of larger network of hymns and canticles in luke's narrative about the births of john and jesus. there is also mary's song, the magnificat (1:46-56) , and the song of the angels to the shepherds (2:14), and the song of simeon when jesus is presented to the temple (2:29-32). unlike these other hymns, the hymn of zechariah is referred to specifically as a prophecy.
as these chapters illustrate, there is more music in the scriptures than we tend to realize. when we read the new testament, it is easy to read over the hymn fragments and quotations from the psalms. in doing so, however, we miss out on moments of lyric force and suppleness. moreover, we also fail to catch the rythm of the text, fail to discern the music that is always just beneath the surface of scripture. i once had a teacher who spoke about the need to read the scriptures in a doxological way -aware that the writers are always on the edge of song, that they can hardly keep themselves from praising. the texts of scripture are saturated with music and we must learn to read them musically.
it seems to me that zechariah's silence finds its meaning in this context of song, in the symmetry of of his long silence followed by his joyful singing. there is also silence in mary, as she stores up the things that happen and ponders them in her heart. (2:19) i know nothing about buddhist practices of silence, and i know very little about christian ones either. but perhaps mary is a figure for christian silence: she begins with the words of the angels and of the shepherds, but then she takes these words and them ponders them in silence. thus christian silence is not the silence of a void -not a blank, or a zero- but the silence of the heart in meditation on the words, and ultimately the Word, of god.
likewise, when zechariah is stuck dumb, he is given the gift of silence. not a blank silence, but a silence filled with the word that has been spoken to him by the angel concerning john, a silence filled with the words of scripture he has prayed his whole life. it is a silence in which he is able to ponder and to pray. it is not the silence of pascal's infinite spaces, but a word-filled silence. and it is from this silence that his prophecy and praising come forth.
this christmas and new year, may god grant us the grace of good silence, and ears to hear the music of the Word made flesh.
o come let us adore him, christ the lord.
zechariah's silence is a rebuke, and it is a forced silence. nevertheless, i find myself feeling that there is some meaning to his silence, and that if this silence is a curse, it is also somehow a blessing. the first words zechariah speaks after his silence are praises to god after john has been named. (lk 1:64) two verses later, luke records the psalm, or canticle, of zechariah (1:67-69). this hymn of praise is part of larger network of hymns and canticles in luke's narrative about the births of john and jesus. there is also mary's song, the magnificat (1:46-56) , and the song of the angels to the shepherds (2:14), and the song of simeon when jesus is presented to the temple (2:29-32). unlike these other hymns, the hymn of zechariah is referred to specifically as a prophecy.
as these chapters illustrate, there is more music in the scriptures than we tend to realize. when we read the new testament, it is easy to read over the hymn fragments and quotations from the psalms. in doing so, however, we miss out on moments of lyric force and suppleness. moreover, we also fail to catch the rythm of the text, fail to discern the music that is always just beneath the surface of scripture. i once had a teacher who spoke about the need to read the scriptures in a doxological way -aware that the writers are always on the edge of song, that they can hardly keep themselves from praising. the texts of scripture are saturated with music and we must learn to read them musically.
it seems to me that zechariah's silence finds its meaning in this context of song, in the symmetry of of his long silence followed by his joyful singing. there is also silence in mary, as she stores up the things that happen and ponders them in her heart. (2:19) i know nothing about buddhist practices of silence, and i know very little about christian ones either. but perhaps mary is a figure for christian silence: she begins with the words of the angels and of the shepherds, but then she takes these words and them ponders them in silence. thus christian silence is not the silence of a void -not a blank, or a zero- but the silence of the heart in meditation on the words, and ultimately the Word, of god.
likewise, when zechariah is stuck dumb, he is given the gift of silence. not a blank silence, but a silence filled with the word that has been spoken to him by the angel concerning john, a silence filled with the words of scripture he has prayed his whole life. it is a silence in which he is able to ponder and to pray. it is not the silence of pascal's infinite spaces, but a word-filled silence. and it is from this silence that his prophecy and praising come forth.
this christmas and new year, may god grant us the grace of good silence, and ears to hear the music of the Word made flesh.
o come let us adore him, christ the lord.
posted by micah at 8:05 PM
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