“And now you will be silent and not able to speak…” Luke 1:20

Gabriel zapped Zechariah’s tongue and rendered him mute.

Me too, I thought.

I could use a silent Advent, a season of calm, an absence of words.

“…until the day this happens…”

Zechariah had to wait, wordless, until the birth of his son, John.

“Immediately his mouth was opened

and his tongue was loosed,

and he began to speak,

praising God.”

Luke 1:64

After months of making signs and writing notes,

something immediate happened.

Words of praise exploded out of his opened mouth.

A Holy Spirit song burst from his loosened tongue.

Me too, I thought.

Advent has come.

My wordless wait is over.

With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King.

Glory be to God on high.

Go, tell it.