As the lights fade in on the main stage, a very old man, Zechariah, walks towards the mirror, aware that the time approaches for him to perform his duties as priest. Elizabeth, his barren wife, helps him prepare for this annual event where he is to enter the holy of holies. Zechariah is dressed in a modern priestly robe.
| Zechariah: | Today is the day, dear! (walks across stage to smarten himself up in front of the mirror, as if before God) Lord, am I prepared? | |
| Elizabeth: | Oh Dear me! (she
turns around in a fluster and grabs the clothes brush)
And I nearly forgot. Oh! You just don't look fit to stand
and enter through that holy curtain. (dusting his
collar down with the brush) (After a short pause) You know you should be better prepared - this opportunity only happens once a year! |
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| Zechariah: | It's not as if I'm going for a new job! (he sighs) I've been doing this for sev..en..teen years. (he exhausts!) | |
| Elizabeth: | (ignoring his comment) Now, let me sort your collar? | |
| Zechariah: | Stop fussing, woman! (he snaps!) Or I'll never get there in time (turning to the audience) ...for next Christmas! | |
| Elizabeth: | Well, if we'd only had children, I wouldn't have been fussing over you so much! Perhaps, one day... | |
| Zechariah: | That's enough (interrupting
his wife) about my lack of
productivity in that area. (sarcastically) You'd think it was I who was the one to blame for that - the way you go on about it! Well, (after a short pause) I'm off (storms off) - (aside to the audience) before I miss the offering! |
Zechariah freezes after a few steps and the lights dim on the main stage... Dictator and Benefactor march on with the table and the incense and invert the mirror and bookcase so that they are not seen.
Some time later at the synagogue, the lights go on at the short end of the stage and Zechariah ties a rope around his leg before entering through the curtain back on to the main stage. with incense. The lighting shifts from the short end of the stage to the main stage.
Zechariah walks solemnly towards the holy curtain that is closed, carrying incense and matches and places the incense upon the altar. As he is delicately preparing the burnt offering, suddenly a softly spoken voice is heard from above...
| Gabriel: | Do not be afraid. Your prayers have been answered. Your wife will bear a son! (declares the voice) | |
| Zechariah: | (He pauses in
bewilderment moving only his eyes, then slowly stares
around fearfully. Finally breaking the icy silence...) You can't be serious! (he jests) A child, at her age? (He laughs even louder.) |
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| Gabriel: | He will live alone for
most of his life and he will not wear the same fashions
or eat the same foods as others. He will never drink any
alcohol - instead he will be filled with God's Holy
Spirit from birth. Then, in time, he will tell of the coming of the One and Only. He will cry out to the people to turn away from their wrongdoing and prepare the way for the coming of God with you. |
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| Zechariah: | How can I be sure? I am so old. And, my wife...(stops mid-sentence). Anyway, I'm not sure if I can cope with a ranting and raving recluse as a son - at my age! | |
| Gabriel: | He will make you both happy together again, and many will be delighted for you. You will both be proud of him. | |
| Zechariah: | So, why can he not be called the One who is to be called Immanuel? (pleased with himself, he attempts to negotiate an even better deal!) | |
| Gabriel: | No! You will give him the name I tell you to give him. | |
| Should I not call him Isaac? Or perhaps Elijah? (continuing his willfulness) | ||
| Gabriel: | No! I am Gabriel. I stand
in the presence of God. You will give him the name I have
given you. And because you have laughed at what I have said and you have challenged the will of God... (objections rising again as Zechariah's mouth gapes open) ...you will not utter another word until it is as I am saying ...and you believe. |
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| Zechariah: | Come off... (stops suddenly, as he is suddenly struck dumb) | |
| Zechariah struggles to get up and crawls towards the curtain entrance - helped by another observing priest. The lights shift back from the main stage back to the short end of the stage. | ||
| 1st Priest: | What happened? You were
in there for nearly an hour! (but Zechariah only manages a
few gesticulations). (aside to the audience) I guess there'll be no more ministry for this guy - not 'til nearer Christmas anyway! |
The lights go out at the short end of the stage. Dictator and Benefactor march on and invert the mirror and bookcase so that they are seen again, before removing the table and the incense.
The lights fade in on main stage. After a period of isolation and immediately after their son is born, there is an argument amongst the relatives as to what the child should be called. Zechariah scribbles the name down. The name is shown as John (not Jesus, as some may expect!). Then, because he believed, Zechariah is able to speak again. Elizabeth sings Zechariah's song of her son paving the way for the Messiah to come.
| Relative: | It's a boy! Congratulations! Isn't it wonderful what God can do. It's just incredible! At your age, (voice fading out) I mean. So, what's his name to be, then? (she quickly chirps up!) How about Bar-Zecharias? | |||||
| Elizabeth: | No! His name is to be John. | |||||
| Relative: | Not much of a Jewish name that! (screws up her face) We don't have any relatives by that name, do we? I mean the name, John is just a bit too common these days. Shouldn't you name him something like Yeshua. If your husband could have spoken any sense, I'm sure he wouldn't agree to that name. | |||||
| Elizabeth: | Well, (after a deep breath) I think it's about time we asked him (sliencing the criticism and confusion), don't you? | |||||
| Relative: | Well, (condescendingly) if you think that's best! | |||||
| Elizabeth speaks to him in sign language and Zechariah beckons for a board to inscribe the name, "John" | ||||||
| Elizabeth: | Well, John it is then! | |||||
| Zechariah: | Hallelujah! (transformed and evidently more gracious than ever before) God has done great things! | |||||
| Relative: | Wow! (shocked look towards Zechariah and then quickly looking away again) He has some sense after all! Quite frankly, I'm amazed! (natter natter...) This boy must be very important. | |||||
| Zechariah: | When this boy is a man (confidently but not boastfully), no son of any man will be thought better in the whole of history, before or after this day! In my period of solitude and silence, God gave me this song, which my wonderful wife will now sing plainly to you of these days and about who our son will be... | |||||
| Elizabeth: |
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| Zechariah: | So, while I've been out of touch, tell me what else has been been happening these last few months? | |||||
| Elizabeth: | Well, while you were away with the fairies (affectionately), both my great niece and her fiancé heard an angel speak to them as well... |
The main stage lighting dims while Elizabeth's voice fades and Mary appears (at the mention of "niece").
Zechariah uncovers that there have been other mysterious happenings, and Elizabeth reveals what she was told 3 months earlier by her great niece...
Alan C Dougall ©2000