(v. 11) And there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
24. The angel does not seem to appear in the temple without reason; for the arrival of the true Priest was already being announced, and the heavenly sacrifice was being prepared, in which the angels would minister. And it is said to have appeared well to him who suddenly caught sight of him. And this is especially true of angels or of God, as divine Scripture is accustomed to hold that which cannot be foreseen is said to appear; for you have it thus: God appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre. For he who is not present before, but suddenly appears in sight, is said to appear. For sensible things do not appear in a similar way, both in him whose will it is to appear and in him whose nature it is not to appear, to appear is of the will. For if he does not will, he does not appear; if he wills, he appears. For God appeared to Abraham, because he willed it; to others, because he did not will it, he did not appear. It was also seen by Stephen, when he was being stoned by the people, that the heavens were opened; Jesus was also seen standing at the right hand of God; and he was not seen by the people. Isaiah saw the Lord of hosts, but another could not see; because to whom it pleased, appeared (Isaiah 6:1).
25. And what shall we say about human beings, when we have also read about the celestial virtues and powers themselves, because no one has ever seen God (John 1:18)? And he added that beyond the celestial powers is the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has explained (Ibid.). Therefore, it must be agreed that if no one has ever seen God the Father, the Son was seen in the Old Testament; and let the heretics cease to attribute to him a beginning from the Virgin, who was seen before he was born of the Virgin: otherwise, it cannot be denied, either the Father, or the Son, or certainly the Holy Spirit, if indeed there is a vision of the Holy Spirit, is seen in the form that the will has chosen, not formed by nature; since we have also heard that the Spirit was seen in the form of a dove. And therefore, no one has ever seen God; because no one has perceived the fullness of divinity that dwells in God, no one comprehends it with the mind or the eyes. For it is seen in reference to both. Finally, when it is added: The only begotten Son himself has explained, it is more of a vision of the mind rather than of the eyes; for the appearance is seen, but the power is narrated: the former is comprehended by the eyes, while the latter is understood by the mind.
26. But what shall I say about the Trinity? When He willed, the Seraphim appeared, and only Isaiah heard His voice (Isa. VI, 6). An angel appeared, and now he is present, but he is not seen; nor is it within our power to see, but within his power to appear. Nevertheless, though the power of seeing is not ours, the grace of deserving to see is, so that we may be able to see. And therefore, whoever had the grace, obtained the abundance: we do not deserve abundance, because we do not have the grace of seeing God.
27. And what wonder if in the present age, unless He wishes, the Lord is not seen? Even in the resurrection itself, it is not easy to see God, except for those who have a clean heart. And therefore He says: Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God (Matt. 5:8). How many blessed ones He had already counted, and yet He had not promised them the ability to see God! Therefore, if those who have a clean heart shall see God, surely others shall not see Him. For neither will the unworthy see God, nor can one who does not want to see God see Him. God is not seen in a place, but is seen by the heart of the world; God is not sought with bodily eyes, nor is He bounded by sight, nor is He grasped by touch, nor is He heard by speech, nor is He perceived by smell. And when He is thought to be absent, He is seen; and when He is present, He is not seen. Indeed, not all the apostles saw Christ; and therefore it is said: For so long I am with you, and you have not known me (John 14:9)! For whoever knows the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and surpassing knowledge of the love of Christ, sees both Christ and the Father. For we no longer know Christ according to the flesh, but according to the spirit; for the spirit of Christ our Lord appeared before us, who is worthy to fill us with his mercy unto the fullness of God, so that he may be seen by us. Therefore, the angel appeared to Zacharias on the right side of the altar of incense, because he appeared when he willed, and did not appear as long as he did not will.
But he appeared at the right side of the altar of incense; for he bore the emblem of divine mercy: for the Lord is at my right hand, that I may not be moved. (Psalm 15:8). And elsewhere: The Lord is your protector, your right hand. (Psalm 120:5). And I wish that when we, too, approach the altars and offer sacrifice, an angel would assist us, or rather, present himself to be seen. Do not doubt that an angel will assist, when Christ himself is present, when Christ is sacrificed. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:7). And do not fear that your heart will be troubled by the sight of angels (for we are disturbed and estranged from our own affection when we are dazzled by the encounter with a higher power), for the same angel who appears to us can strengthen us, just as he confirmed Zachariah's troubled mind, saying:
(Vers. 13, 14.)
Do not be afraid, Zachariah, for behold your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John, and it will be joy to you, and many will rejoice at his birth.
29. Full and overflowing are divine blessings: not restricted in number, but accumulated in an abundant heap of good things; so that here there is first the fruit of prayer, then the barrenness of a wife, then the joy of many, and the greatness of virtue. The promise of the Most High is also given to the prophet: indeed, to remove any doubt, the very word for the future is designated. Therefore, with such overflowing blessings beyond expectation, silence is the punishment of disbelief not undeservedly: which we will explain in the following. But there is solemn joy in the birth of saints; for a saint is not only a blessing to the parents, but also the salvation of many. Therefore, we are reminded in this place to rejoice in the generation of saints.
30. Parents should be reminded to give thanks not only for the birth, but also for the merits of their children; for it is not a small gift from God to give children as propagators of the race, heirs of succession. By the law of Jacob, there is joy in the generation of twelve sons (Gen. 49:28). The son is given to Abraham (Gen. 21:2). Zacharias is heard. Therefore, the divine gift is the fertility of the parent. Let fathers give thanks, because they have begotten; let sons give thanks, because they have been born; let mothers give thanks, because they are honored with the rewards of marriage; for the children are the rewards of their military service. The earth rejoices in the praise of God because it is cultivated; the world rejoices because it is known; the Church rejoices because the number of the devout people is increased. In the beginning (Gen. II, 24), the union of marriage was immediately joined by the command of God, so that heresy could be destroyed. For God approved of marriage in this way, that He might unite; He rewarded it in such a way that to those to whom sterility had denied children, divine mercy might grant them.
(Vers. 15.)
And he will be great before the Lord.
31. Here, not the size of the body, but the greatness of the soul is declared. The magnitude of the soul is in the presence of the Lord, the magnitude of virtue: there is also the smallness of the soul, and the youthfulness of virtue. For we count the ages of the soul and body together, not according to the measure of time, but according to the quality of virtue; so that that man may be called perfect, who lacks the errors of childhood, and does not feel the slippery nature of the mind in the maturity of youth: but he may be called small, who seems not to have made any progress in virtue yet. Where is that in Jeremiah, when the Lord showed mercy to Ephraim who was weeping and praying for his own sins: 'Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight?' (Jeremiah 31:20) For if he had not been a child in whom I delight, he would never have sinned. And rightly did he say both 'in whom I delight' and 'child'; for he is a child who does not sin: 'Behold, my servant whom I have chosen' (Isaiah 43:10). Therefore, he sinned through his delight, being so formed by the Lord that he knew not of error. Therefore, even if the boy had not been in pleasure and if he had advanced in age to become a complete man of virtue, he would never have stumbled; so that he would not have to seek forgiveness for his sins, when he should rather hope for rewards for his merits. What our Lord also seems to express in the Gospel, when he says: Do not despise one of these little ones (Matthew 18:10). But let more be preserved for their proper place. Therefore, the little one is opposed to the great. And if, according to the Apostle, a little child is under the elements: For when we were children, we were under the elements of this world (Galatians IV, 10): therefore, the great one is above the elements of the world.
Therefore, John will be great not in the virtue of the body, but in the greatness of the soul. Ultimately, he did not propagate the boundaries of any empire, nor did he prefer any triumphs of war; but what is more, preaching in the desert, he suppressed the delights of men and the indulgence of the body with great virtue of the soul. Therefore, small in the world, great in spirit. Ultimately, like a great person, he did not change his steadfastness of conviction in the desire to live, captivated by the allurements of life.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15) And, he said, he will still be filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother's womb.
33. There is no doubt that this promise was true, for the holy John, while still in his mother's womb, recognized and received the grace of the Holy Spirit. For when neither his father nor his mother had yet done anything remarkable, he leaped in his mother's womb and announced the coming of the Lord to his mother. Thus you have what happened when the mother of the Lord came to Elizabeth, as she said: 'Behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.' (Luke 1:44) For he did not yet have the spirit of life, but the spirit of grace. Indeed, in other instances we were able to anticipate the grace of sanctification preceding the living substance, as the Lord says: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5). For another is the spirit of this life, another the spirit of grace: the former begins at birth, ends at death; the latter is not bound by times or ages, is not extinguished by death, is not expelled from the womb of its mother. Finally, the holy Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied (Luke 1:46, below); and Elisha, after his death, raised the lifeless body of a man by touching it (2 Kings 13:21); and Samuel, according to the testimony of Scripture, did not keep silent about the future after his death (1 Samuel 28:17 and following).
34. And, he says, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. For to whom the Spirit of grace is present, nothing is lacking. And to whom the Holy Spirit is poured out, there is the fullness of great virtues. Finally,
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) He said, 'He will convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.'
35. We do not need testimony that Saint John converted the hearts of many, in which the prophetic Scriptures and the Gospel support us. For the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:6); and the frequented baptisms of the people declare that the converted people have made significant progress; because when John is believed, Christ is believed. For he preached not about himself, but about the Lord as the precursor of Christ. Et ideo
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) He will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.
36. Well, these things are connected; for the spirit is never without virtue, nor is virtue without the spirit. And therefore, perhaps in the spirit and virtue of Elijah; for the holy Elijah had great power and grace: the power to turn the hearts of the people to faith from wickedness, the power of abstinence and patience, and the spirit of prophecy. In the wilderness, Elijah; in the wilderness, John: the former was fed by ravens, the latter in the bushes; and while he trampled on all the allurements of pleasure, he preferred frugality and despised luxury: he did not seek the favor of King Ahab, but spurned Herod's favor; he divided the Jordan, he turned it into a saving bath: he dwells on earth with the Lord, he appears in glory with the Lord: he is the precursor of the first advent of the Lord, he is the precursor of the second advent of the Lord: after three years of drought, he watered the earth with rain, and after three years he poured the rain of faith on the ground of our bodies. You wonder what the three-year period is? Here, He says, there are three years, from which I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I do not find it (Luke 13:7); for a mystical number was expected, so that salvation would be given to the people. One year is in the Patriarchs: moreover, in regard to men the year's yield was then, such as it had not been after on earth. Another in Moses and the rest of the prophets. The third in the coming of the Lord and Savior: Here, He says, is the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution (Luke 4:19). And that father of the family who planted a vineyard, not once but often sent forth the collectors of fruit: first the slaves, second other slaves, but third he sent his own son (Matt. XXI, 33 et seq.).
37. So John came in the spirit and power of Elijah. For one cannot be without the other, as is also found in the following, when it is said: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you (Luke 1:35). But perhaps this seems to be above us and above the apostles. For even he, under Elijah, the course of the divided river of the flowing waters turned back to the source of the river, as the Scripture says: The Jordan turned back (Psalm 114:5), signifies the future mysteries of the saving washing, through which, in the beginnings of their nature, those who have been baptized as infants are reformed from evil. Moreover, in addition to the power given to his apostles, the Lord himself promised that the power of the Holy Spirit should be attributed to them, saying: 'You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you' (Acts 1:8). Then, in the following passage, it is said: 'Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind' (Acts 2:2). Indeed, a great force, because by the Spirit of his mouth all their power is (Psalm 32:6). And that is the power which the apostles received from the Holy Spirit.