Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/431

 He who  wishes  to  be  just  before  God,  and  to  dwell  with  Him  one  day in heaven,  must  observe  all  God’s  commandments,  and  must  do  His will in  all  things  as  Zachary  and  Elizabeth  did.

Abstinence from  strong  drink. St.  John  the  Baptist  abstained  from wine and  strong  drinks  throughout  his  whole  life. You ought,  while you are  young,  to  abstain  from  all  strong  drinks,  and  especially  from spirits. Such drinks  ruin  the  health  of  both  the  soul  and  body  of the  young.

The doubt  of  Zachary; the  sign  given  to  him.  The  angel  said  to Zachary:  “Thy  prayer  is  heard.”  Zachary  ought  to  have  known  by these  words  that  the  speaker  was  a messenger  sent  by  God,  for  God alone can  see  the  heart,  and  it  was  from  Him  alone  that  the  angel could have  known  what  Zachary  had  prayed  for. Nevertheless, Zachary would not  fully  believe  the  good  tidings. He and  his  wife  being  old, it was  so  unlikely  they  should  have  a son  that  he  asked  for  a sign. His request  was  granted. At that  very  moment  he  lost  both  speech and hearing,  becoming  (according  to  St.  Ambrose,  Maldonatus  and others)  deaf  as  well  as  dumb. We shall  see  in  chapter  IV  that  his friends had  to  make  signs  to  him,  because  he  could  not  hear  them. This deafness  and  dumbness  were  meant  to  serve  a threefold  purpose:

1. They  were  to  be  a sign  by  which  Zachary  should  know  that  the angel’s message  had  come  from  God,  and  would  surely  be  accomplished;

2. they  were  a punishment  of  the  holy  man’s  passing  doubt,  for  a wilful doubt is  a sin. However, we  may  assume  that  Zachary’s  doubt  was  not quite wilful,  but  rather  the  result  of  surprise  and  want  of  consideration, and that  therefore  his  sin  was  only  venial;  3. this particular  mode  of punishment  was  to  be  the  means  of  keeping  secret  the  revelation  made to Zachary. It had  been  revealed  to  him  that  his  son  should  go  before the Redeemer,  and  that  therefore  the  Redeemer  would  soon  come. Zachary’s impulse,  in  the  joy  of  his  heart,  would  have  been  to  announce to all  pious  Israelites  the  good  news  that  the  day  for  which  they  all longed and  the  hour  of  salvation  were  at  hand. Now, however,  he  was struck dumb,  and,  according  to  the  decrees  of  God’s  wisdom,  the  great secret could  not  just  yet  be  disclosed  to  the  world.

You would  have  received  many  more  graces from God,  if  you  had  prayed  more  fervently  and  persistently. You ought  to  have  great  confidence  in  the  power  of  prayer,  and excite in  your  heart  a greater  love  for  it. From this  day  forward make a point  of  saying  all  the  prayers  you  have  to  say  with greater faithfulness  and  devotion.