Word to the Wise
Friday, December 23, 2022 - December 23
[Mal 3:1-4, 23-24 and Luke 1:57-66]Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner's fire, or like the fuller's lye. He will sot refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi.....[Malachi] "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him." [Luke]
The words of the prophet Malachi were seen by the early Christian community as referring to John the Baptist, whose birth is recounted in today's gospel scripture. They are also immortalized in G. F. Handel's wonderful oratorio, THE MESSIAH, and as I type this the music is running through my head along with the King James translation: "The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple. Even the messenger of the covenant who ye desireth. Behold he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts!" This is followed by the great baritone aria, "Who shall endure..." and the chorale, "And he shall purify..." All of this adds to the majesty of the anticipation and fulfillment of God's promises.
The account of the birth of John the Baptist has its amusing moment when friends and relatives try to get Elizabeth and Zechariah to choose another name than "John." "There is no one among your relatives who has this name!" They won't listen to Elizabeth, and Zechariah, struck dumb for his questioning the angel Gabriel, has to write the name on a tablet. This restores his speech and everybody is amazed at it all!
The mark of great drama is in its ability to draw the audience into the experience of the characters and plot. The drama of Advent anticipation culminates on a stage in Bethlehem. Yes, it is only Act One and the first of many stages in the life of Jesus. Christmas joy takes precedence at this stage. John the Baptist is born and leads the way today to a maternity scene we know so well: the stable scene in Bethlehem. AMEN