Waiting for the birth, the coming of a miracle baby the son he never believe would come, a son to redeem would wipe away her shame, the son to bear his name No, not this son; he was to be named John, a son for another purpose, dedicated to God, to be God’s voice in the wilderness; but not right away He would come in due time, and his father waited the people amazed, aware that something had happened when their priest was silent, silent for all those months not speaking in the Temple, not in the gate, not giving comfort, relief, as his lot would normally be No he was a silent priest, mute, listening, writing only
He spoke when the time was ripe, appointed by the Lord when he needed to speak, when the words needed to be shared when the people would marvel and be in awe for the mute spoke, after nine long months, not in small talk, not in greeting, not in common, routine matters No, he spoke first, in prophecy, important words of comfort of hope, of foretelling, of saving for the people, in fulfillment of prophets of old, and his son’s yoke to be a prophet to the people