Unexpected: Startled and Silenced II

Scene 1 (continued)  Luke 1:13a-22 

The next words startled (scared) him more than the first:

“Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.”

To himself…

Oh, that prayer?  He heard that one?  I didn’t even have words for that prayer.  I’m not sure I was even supposed to pray that prayer in here? 

“Did you just say that I was, I mean Elizabeth will, I mean…are you saying  that we are going to have a child?!

“How can I be sure of this?  I am an old man and my wife is well, along in years. (Even old Zeke knew not to call his wife “old.”)

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not be able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

And as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared.

Stunned he knelt there for a bit trying to comprehend what he had just seen and heard.  He had seen that, right?  He had heard that, right?  That was real!  I’m not dead, am I? He re-lived the moment over and over—remembering every word that was spoken—he would never forget.

He backed out of the inner room to find that he had been in there much longer than was typical. While he was in there, word had spread that the priest had not yet come out.  The crowd grew.  Something must be happening in there. Would they pull out a dead priest? 

And then the bell rang, he was alive and he was on his way out.  What would he tell them—the anticipation built and when he appeared they were silent!  But so was he!  He couldn’t speak.  He tried but his vocal cords and mouth would not work. So, he made signs attempting to tell them what had happened.

The people did not understand everything, but they knew this:  He had seen a vision!