Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (1: 5-25) in which Zechariah is told by an angel, when on duty in the temple, that his wife Elizabeth would have a child even though they were both getting on in years.

Fr Paul says with this reading from Luke we begin a continuous series of Lukan readings which will carry us right up to Christmas Eve, enabling us to share in the experiences which prepared for the birth of Jesus.

The story of the annunciation of a son to Zechariah is paired with the first reading of the angelic promise to Samson’s father. Each birth was by the special intervention of God, for Samson’s mother was barren, just as were John the Baptist’s parents. Both sons will be dedicated to God by the vows of a Nazirite – that is they are consecrated to the service of God.

A more rewarding parallel is between the annunciation to Zechariah and to that of Mary. These are the first pointers of how determined Luke is to show us the equality of the sexes. If a man loses his precious sheep, a woman loses her precious coin. If Jairus’ daughter is raised to life, so is the dead son of the Widow of Naim.

More specifically, the comparison between Zechariah and Mary is for the sake of the comparison of John and Jesus. There are the two annunciations, the two births, the two Canticles, the two circumcisions and glimpses of the two flourishing childhoods. The families intertwine on occasion, as at the Visitation. On each occasion the story of John is wonderful, but only to be trumped by the story of Jesus, which is more wonderful still.

So, John will be great in the sight of the Lord, but Jesus will be simply great – without qualification – and will reign on the throne of David for ever. At the birth of John there is great joy of all the neighbours, while at the birth of Jesus there is great joy and singing in heaven.

The greatest difference of all, of course, is that while Zechariah is struck deaf and dumb for questioning the message, Mary is reassured that she will henceforth be called ‘Blessed among women.’