Prophet
Zacharias
Saint Zacharias, prophet, foretold the return of the people from exile to the promised land, giving them the announcement of a king of peace, which Christ the Lord admirably carried out in his triumphal entry into the Holy City of Jerusalem".
Roman Martyrology, 6 September, n. 1.
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Zacharias Prophet
The prophet Zechariah, a contemporary of Haggai, began his prophetic mission around 520 BC, that is, "in the eighth month of the second year of Darius" (Zc 1,1). He lived in the period after the Babylonian exile and was very concerned with the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Like the prophet Ezekiel he had a priestly background. Born in Gilead, he returned in his old age from Chaldea to Palestine, having performed many wonders, accompanied by prophecies of apocalyptic content, such as the end of the world and the double divine judgment. Late dead, he was buried next to the tomb of the prophet Haggai.
With his word and his work he favored and encouraged the rebuilding of the temple. Zacharias practiced prophetic activity for two years, that is, from the second to the fourth year of Darius, king of Persia. Zacharias had prophetic visions and uttered parables, in which he announced God's invitation to penance, an essential condition for allowing the promises to be fulfilled.
"The Lord was very indignant against your fathers. You will therefore report to them: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Repent to me - oracle of the Lord of hosts - and I will turn to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the prophets of yore went crying: Says the Lord of hosts: Go back from your perverse path and your wicked works. But they would not listen and pay no attention to me, says the Lord. Will the prophets live forever? Have not the words and decrees which I communicated to my servants the prophets been fulfilled upon your fathers? They turned back and said, How much the Lord of hosts had threatened us to because of our misdirection and our sins, he performed it upon us "(Zc 1,2-6).
His prophecies also concern the future of the reborn Israel, near future and messianic future, which highlight the spiritual character of his rebirth, of his holiness, the exclusive fruit of God's love and of his omnipotence. The covenant made in the messianic promise to David continues its course in Jerusalem, a prophecy that is completely fulfilled with the solemn entry of Jesus into the holy city, which took place out of boundless love for the people: God manifests a total openness to the peoples, who will become part of the Kingdom only if purified.
According to tradition, the village where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived (which the Gospel does not name, indicating only that it was located in the mountains of Judea) was the current Ain Karem, a few kilometers from Jerusalem. The account of the Evangelist Luke reports that: "In the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the class of Abiah, who had as wife a descendant of Aaron, named Elizabeth. Both were righteous before God and they kept blameless all the laws and prescriptions of the Lord. They had no children, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.
It happened that, while Zechariah was carrying out his priestly functions before the Lord during the turn of his class, he fell by lot, according to the custom of the priestly service, to enter the temple of the Lord to make the offering of incense. Outside, the whole assembly of the people was praying at the hour of incense. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. When he saw it, Zacharias was troubled and fearful. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been answered and your wife Elizabeth will give you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and exultation, and many will rejoice in his birth, because he will be great before the Lord; he will not drink wine or intoxicating drinks, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, and will lead many children of Israel back to the Lord their God.
He will walk before him with the spirit and the power of Elijah, to lead the hearts of the fathers back to the children and the rebels to the wisdom of the righteous and prepare for the Lord a well disposed people. "Zechariah said to the angel: "How can I ever know this? I am old and my wife is advanced in years. "The angel replied:" I am Gabriel, who stands before God and was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be mute and will not be able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time".
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zacharias and marveling at his delay in the temple. Then when he came out and couldn't speak to them, they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. He waved to them and remained mute. When the days of his service were over, he returned home. After those days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived and hid herself for five months and said: "This is what the Lord did for me, in the days when he deigned to take away my shame among men".
(Lk 1, 8-25).
Eight days after the birth of the child, the rite of circumcision took place: on this occasion, as tradition dictated, the name was given to the child. Zacharias, who could not speak, got a tablet and wrote the name of John on it, as the angel had ordered him. At that moment, having made the announcement, Zacharias regained the word and to the amazement of those present he sang a hymn of praise to God, still known today as the "Canticle of Zacharias".
