Why did Zechariah and Mary have different reactions to the angel Gabriel’s message, even though they seemed to have similar responses?
The encounters between the angel Gabriel and two pivotal figures in the New Testament, Zechariah and Mary, offer profound insights into human response to divine revelation and the interplay between doubt and faith. When Gabriel announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah (Luke 1:10-20) and the coming of Jesus Christ to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), their contrasting reactions reveal notable differences in their faith journeys.
Zechariah, a Jewish priest, receives Gabriel’s announcement with skepticism. Zechariah questions, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
His response highlights a struggle with doubt, rooted in natural reason and the limitations of human possibility. Despite his holiness and service to God, Zechariah’s reaction embodies a human tendency to rely on empirical evidence rather than faith.
In contrast, Gabriel’s visit to Mary in the Annunciation elicits a response of inquisitive faith. Mary inquires, “How will this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
While at first glance similar to Zechariah’s question, Mary’s response is distinct in its openness and trust. She does not doubt Gabriel’s message but seeks understanding of its fulfillment in light of her vow of virginity. Her acceptance is immediate and complete, culminating in her fiat, her yes, when she says: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). This profound assent demonstrates Mary’s unwavering faith and trust in God’s plan, regardless of the uncertainty and challenges it presents.
The consequences of these responses underline the spiritual lessons embedded in their stories. Zechariah’s doubt leads to temporary muteness, a sign permitted by God to deepen his faith in contemplative silence. This silence serves as a period of reflection, ultimately leading to renewed faith. Mary’s unwavering trust, on the other hand, leads her to become the mother of God, the Theotokos, a model of perfect discipleship and receptivity to God’s grace.
These contrasting responses to Gabriel’s annunciation highlight pivotal aspects of our relationship with God: the human struggle between doubt and trust, the call to faith beyond reason and the transformative power of divine grace. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, faith is “a personal adherence of man to God” (CCC 150), exemplified in Mary’s fiat, inviting us all to echo her trustful surrender to God’s will.
We offer our own prayer of “thy will be done” each time we pray the Our Father, and we proclaim it through faith in God’s holy will. Let us be intentional as we offer this prayer to the Lord and give our fiat, our “yes,” to what He calls us to, and not out of blind obedience, but with a trusting heart.
So even though the responses of Zechariah and Mary appear similar on the surface, they differ at their root on the level of the heart — Zechariah’s doubt versus Mary’s inquisitive faith while trusting in God’s will. Thankfully, as Luke writes later, Zechariah experienced a transformation of heart and trusted in God’s plan, and his senses were restored (Luke 1:59-64).
Pray each day for the faith to hear and speak from the heart.
Father Dan Kavanagh is director of the Catholic Deaf Ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
