Dear in Christ Brothers and Sisters,

Congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, as well as with the great and joyful feast of the Nativity of John the Forerunner!

Today in the second Gospel reading we heard how the Holy Evangelist Luke describes in detail the events tied to the conception and birth of this saint. As is always the case with any Gospel excerpt, we could discuss every verse for a long time and in much detail. Today let’s focus our attention on the following words:

It came to pass, that while (Zacharias) executed the priest's office … his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord… (and) said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Let’s remember that in the Old Testament there was but one temple which stood in Jerusalem. Of course the Jews, who lived not only in Palestine, but were already at that time scattered throughout the whole world, would meet to pray and read Holy Scripture in their synagogues, which could be found in any town in which the descendants of Abraham resided. But it was only in Jerusalem and only in the Temple that sacrifices were done. For this reason there was a constant influx of pilgrims in Jerusalem. We know from the Gospel according to Luke that the Most-Holy Virgin Mary and the Righteous Joseph came yearly from Galilee to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts in the temple. We also learn from the Evangelist John the Theologian that Jesus Christ and His disciples had the practice of visiting Jerusalem on feastdays. Of course, for those Jews who did not live in Palestine such pilgrimages were rare occurrences.

For the hereditary priesthood of the Jewish people, service in the Temple was also a rarity. They came to Jerusalem according to a schedule and in the course of eight days performed various rites and sacrifices. Not every priest could expect to enter the Holy Place so as to place frankincense on the altar of incense. Such a ritual was not simple a gift to God, but also a visible sign of the prayers of the entire Jewish nation ascending to heaven like the smoke of incense rises out of a censer.

As you see, the Apostle and Evangelist Luke describes not a ordinary event, as perhaps we see our weekly divine services here in our church, but something very special for both the people as well as for the priest – the righteous Zacharias. We can assume that at such a holy moment, the Jews who had gathered in their temple, in their holy city, from all the ends of the earth, as well as Zacharias, who was honoured to bring incense as an offering in the Temple, prayed not about their personal worries, but about that which was most important, i.e. about the coming of the Saviour. It is in this key that we should understand the words of the archangel Gabriel. He as if says the following: “Do not be afraid Zacharias, the prayer of the Jewish people, which you in a figurative way have brought to God when you placed incense on this altar, has been heard. In the near future, the Saviour of the world, the Jewish Messiah, will be born. As a sign to prove this good news, you will see that your wife, stricken in years and barren, will conceive and bare you a son, whom you will name John.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, today, on this joyous day when we remember that first (although not direct, but more indirect) message from the archangel about the coming of the Saviour Christ, let’s remember with what piety the Jewish people and their priests would come to pray and serve in the Temple in Jerusalem. Let us also come with similar attention to our church and pray for that which is most important – for the forgiveness of our sins, for the inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom. Let us also hope that the Lord will hear our petitions and grant not only that which is most important, but also our other entreaties – peace in the Holy Land and in Ukraine, concord in our families and in our parish, health and success for our children.

priest Alexis