Then came the time that had been foretold

by the words of the wise ones, when Zachary

should attend at the temple.

Many Jews had flocked to Jerusalem,

to the great temple, petitioning the Lord

in His grace; praying to the great Ruler

most humbly, the King of Heaven,

to free them from evil. The folk stood about

that holy house as the high standing man

went within. The Hebrews waited,

remaining outside, around the altar,

until the wise man had fulfilled God's will.

The old man brought his incense to the altar;

he circled with his censer, worshipping

the Powerful One, performing his task,

the divine service, devotedly, with a clear mind -

so a man should joyfully follow his lord -

when feelings of fear overcame him,

and he experienced awe at the altar.

Before the altar, he saw an angel of God,

within the temple. This angel talked to him,

told the wise man not to be wary or frightened.

"The Ruler prizes your performance, and words.

He is indebted for your devotion to Him

and thankful that you think so highly

of His strength alone. I am his angel.

Gabriel is my name, I stand before God,

Forever in attendance on the Ruler of All,

except when He sends me away as His messenger.

Now He bade me depart upon this mission,

told me to inform you that an infant

will soon be granted to your good wife -

he will be wise in words. He will never in his life

drink wine or mead in this world: so fate works it,

so time made him, and also God's might.

The Lord said I should tell you that your son

will be a comrade of the King of Heaven,

that you and your wife should care for him well,

bring him up on loyalty, and He will allow him

many distinctions in heaven's dominion.

God said this good man was to be named John,

He commanded you to call him so when he comes.

He said, besides, that the child would become

a companion of Christ, His own Son,

in this world, and that both would come here soon

upon His quest." Then Zachary conversed

with the Lord's messenger, as he began to marvel

over these events, and over these words.

"How can this occur,' he asked, "at our age?

It is much too late for us to make happen

what you are speaking of with your words.

It was a long time ago, when we were twenty winters

in this world, when this woman came to me.

We have been together, shared bed and board,

for seventy years since I took her to wife.

If we were not able to achieve this in youth,

if we were not able to get our own heir,

to raise him, back then, under our roof,

how can we achieve it now we are old?

Age has stolen our bodily strength.

Our faces are slack, our loins are slow,

our flesh is loose, our skin not lush,

our lust has departed, our bodies are dried up,

our appearances have altered - as have our feelings

and our drive - so many days have we

been in the world. And so I wonder how

this that you talk of could ever take place."