गब्रिएल स्वर्गदूत, मरियम र जकरिया

 

 स्वर्गदूत गब्रिएलले मरियमलाई किन सान्त्वना दिए तर जकरियालाई किन हप्काए ?

उनीहरूको भाषामा स्पष्ट भिन्नता छ,

मरियमले सोध्छिन्, “यो कसरी हुन सक्छ ?” [लूका १:३४]

जकरिया सोध्छन्, “यो मैले कसरी जान्ने ?” [लूका १:१८] 

एउटाले बुझाइ खोज्छ । 

अर्कोले प्रमाण खोज्छ ।

एकपटक अब्राहामले परमेश्वरलाई लगभग ठ्याक्कै उही प्रश्न सोधेका थिए, “म कसरी थाहा पाऊँ ?” [उत्पत्ति १५:८]

तब परमेश्वरले हप्काउनुको सट्टा, उनलाई जनावरहरू ल्याउन, करार गर्न र प्राचीन मानिसहरूले अटुट प्रतिज्ञाहरू छाप्ने तरिकाले शपथ खान भन्नुभयो । परमेश्वरले शाब्दिक रूपमा आफूलाई आफ्नो वचनमा बाँध्नुभयो ।

अनि एउटा सत्य यहाँ प्रकट हुन्छ !

बप्तिस्मा दिने यूहन्ना केवल “जकरिया र एलिजाबेथको अलौकिक बच्चा” मात्र होइनन् । उनी करारको गति थिए । उनी त्यो प्राचीन शपथको कार्यान्वयन थिए । अब्राहामको प्रतिज्ञा इतिहासलाई अगाडि बढाउने इन्जिन हो । यूहन्ना अवस्थित छन् किनभने परमेश्वरले पहिले नै एक पटक शपथ लिनुभएको छ र जब परमेश्वरले शपथ लिनुहुन्छ, त्यसलाई पूरा गर्न बाध्य हुनुहुन्छ ।

त्यसैले जकरियाको हिचकिचाहट महत्त्वपूर्ण छ । उनी एक पुजारी हुन् । धर्मशास्त्रका राम्रो जानकार मानिस हुन् । करारको संरक्षक हुन् । उनलाई यो कथा थाहा छ । उनलाई शपथ थाहा छ । तैपनि उनी अझै पनि अर्को चिन्ह माग्छन् । उनी मूलतः परमेश्वरलाई दुई पटक शपथ खान आग्रह गरिरहेका थिए । तर परमेश्वरले त्यो गर्नुहुने थिएन ।

यसकारण स्वर्गदूतले उनलाई गूँगो बनाउँछन् । [लूका १:२०] सजाय दिन होइन, तर उनलाई एउटा यस्तो वाचा भित्र बस्न बाध्य पार्न जसलाई सुदृढीकरणको आवश्यकता पर्दैन ।

यसको तुलना मरियमसँग गर्नुहोस् । गाउँकी केटी जसमा पुजारीको पोशाक छैन, मन्दिरमा पहुँच छैन, कुनै संस्थागत अधिकार छैन... तैपनि उनी सहजै करार विश्वासमा उभिएकी छिन् । उनी प्रमाण माग्दिनन् । उनी केवल सोध्छिन् कि परमेश्वरले पहिले नै स्वीकार गर्नुभएको कुरा कसरी गर्न चाहनुहुन्छ । र जब उनी गाउँछिन्, उनी आफ्नो गीतलाई उही अब्राहामको शपथमा जोड्छिन [लूका १:४६-५६], जुन जकरियाले सुरुदेखि नै विश्वास गरेको हुनुपर्छ ।

पुजारी हिचकिचाउँछ; केटीले विश्वास गर्छिन् ।

अनि जब जकरियाले अन्ततः आफ्नो आवाज फिर्ता पाउँछन्, उनी आफ्नो व्यक्तिगत चमत्कारको बारेमा घमण्ड गर्दैनन् । उनले शंका गरेको कुरा स्वीकार गर्छन्,

“उहाँले हाम्रा पुर्खाहरूलाई कृपा देखाउनलाई, र आफ्नो पवित्र करार स्मरण गर्नलाई, जुन शपथ उहाँले हाम्रा पुर्खा अब्राहामसँग खानुभएको थियो...।” [लूका १:७२-७३]

परमेश्वरलाई दुई पटक शपथ खानु पर्दैन । उहाँलाई पहिलो पटक विश्वास गर्नुहोस् । याे घटना विश्वास र अविश्वासको र त्यसको परिणामको बारेमा छ ।

* के तपाईंले पनि परमेश्वरको करार (वचन) माथि शंका त गर्नुभएको छैन ?

* पावलले विश्वास गरे, र सम्पुर्ण युरोपलाई विश्वासमा ल्याए, थाेमाले शंका गरे, र एसियालाई अहिलेसम्म पुर्णतया विश्वासमा ल्याउन सकिएको छैन ।

यसकारण लेखिएको छ,

येशूले तिनलाई भन्नुभयो, “तिमीले मलाई देखेको कारणले ममाथि विश्वास गरेका हौ? धन्य हुन् तिनीहरू, जसले मलाई देखेका छैनन्, र पनि विश्वास गर्छन्।” [यूहन्ना २०:२९]

“तिनी धन्यकी हुन्, जसले परमप्रभुले तिनलाई भन्नुभएको कुरा पूरा हुनेछ भनी विश्वास गरिन्।” [लूका १:४५]

“तिमीहरूले नदेखे तापनि उहाँलाई प्रेम गर्छौ। उहाँलाई तिमीहरू अहिले देख्दैनौ, तापनि उहाँमाथि विश्वास गर्छौ र अवर्णनीय र गौरवमय आनन्दमा रमाउँछौ।” [१ पत्रुस १:८]

“तिमीहरूमध्येको अन्तिम मानिसको मृत्यु नभएसम्म तिमीहरूको अविश्वासको कारण आफ्ना छोराछोरीहरू चालीस वर्षसम्म गोठाला भएर उजाड़-स्थानमा डुल्नेछन्। 

तिमीहरूले त्यस देशको भेद लिन चालीस दिन बिताएका थियौ, यसकारण दिनको एक वर्ष गरी चालीस वर्षसम्म तिमीहरूले आफ्नो अधर्मको फल भोग्दै रहनेछौ, र तिमीहरूप्रति म नाराज भएको तिमीहरूले थाहा पाउनेछौ'।” [गन्ती १४:३३-३४]

Sources :

1. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2126842354177179/permalink/2953675548160518/?app=fbl

2. https://www.facebook.com/100063837275839/posts/pfbid02Xxa1EcamdLP27nNcJW9VDhU3jQrUMKs1UJ8oMUZBk5bjA9VX2XcHgwD18eFrA252l/?app=fbl

3. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1531147497223952/permalink/2789023118103044/?app=fbl

WHY WAS ZECHARIAH PUNISHED AND MARY PRAISED FOR ASKING THE SAME QUESTION? THIS WILL SHOCK YOU 😳🤔

Someone asked me this question:

“Please, why was Zechariah punished for asking the angel a question, while Mary asked almost the same question and was praised? Isn’t that unfair? Didn’t they both just ask, ‘How can this be?’”

NOW, LET'S DELVE INTO IT PROPERLY...

The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, a priest of the Temple.

And later, he appeared to Mary, a young virgin of Nazareth.

Both received astonishing news:

- Zechariah would be father to John the Baptist.

- Mary would be mother to Jesus, the Son of God.

And both asked almost the same question:

👉Zechariah: “How shall I know this?” (Luke 1:18)

👉Mary: “How shall this be, since I do not know man?” (Luke 1:34)

One was struck dumb.

The other was blessed among women.

So, was God unfair?

Let’s enter the mystery.

✝️ 1. THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT IN THE QUESTION, BUT IN THE HEART

At first glance, they sound identical.

But in Scripture, words reveal hearts.

Zechariah’s question, “How shall I know this?”, 

comes from doubt.

He was asking for proof.

He stood in the Holy of Holies, 

the holiest place on earth, 

face to face with an angel,

yet still asked, “How can I be sure?”

It was not curiosity; it was skepticism.

In Greek, his phrase, “kata ti gnosomai touto?”, 

means literally, “By what sign will I know this?”

He was demanding evidence,

as if the Word of God were not enough.

Mary’s question, however, “How shall this be?”, 

comes from faith seeking understanding.

She was not asking if it would happen,

but how it would happen.

In Greek: “Pos estai touto?”, 

“How will this come to pass?”

It’s the language of a believer asking for light, not proof.

Zechariah said: “Prove it.”

Mary said: “Explain it.”

And Heaven answers hearts, not words.

✝️ 2. CONTEXT REVEALS THE CONTRAST

Zechariah was a priest, 

an old, learned man who served in the Temple,

surrounded by the history of miracles:

Abraham, Sarah, Hannah… all conceived in old age.

He should have known that with God nothing is impossible.

He had years of Scriptures behind him,

but still he doubted.

Mary, on the other hand,

was a young, poor girl in Nazareth, 

a place people mocked: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

She had no temple, no incense, no priestly robes.

Only purity of heart.

And yet, she believed instantly, 

even when the angel spoke something never heard in human history before:

a virgin birth.

Zechariah doubted what God had already done for others.

Mary believed what God had never done before.

That’s faith.

✝️ 3. THE HEART THAT TRUSTS DOES NOT DEMAND A SIGN

Zechariah’s punishment was not cruelty, it was mercy.

God silenced him so that he could learn to listen.

And when John was born, Zechariah’s first words were a hymn of faith.

Sometimes God closes our lips

so that our hearts can finally speak.

Mary, however, was invited to speak, 

because her heart was already listening.

Her “How?” became the doorway to the Incarnation.

When Gabriel explained,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,”

she didn’t ask further questions.

She bowed her will and said,

 “Be it done unto me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

One sought control.

The other surrendered.

✝️ 4. THE SILENCE OF THE PRIEST AND THE SONG OF THE VIRGIN

When Zechariah finally spoke again,

he sang the Benedictus, 

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.”

He had learned the wisdom of silence.

When Mary spoke,

she sang the Magnificat, 

“My soul magnifies the Lord.”

She had never doubted in the first place.

Two songs.

Both beautiful.

But one was born from doubt turned into faith;

the other, from faith that never doubted.

✝️ 5. A FINAL LESSON FOR ALL OF US

Both Zechariah and Mary were chosen.

Both were loved.

Both were part of God’s plan.

Zechariah shows us that even holy people can doubt.

Mary shows us that faith is not the absence of questions,

but the surrender of control.

So when you struggle to believe,

remember: God can use even your silence to teach faith.

But if your heart believes even while asking “How?”, 

you already stand beside Mary.

Because true faith is not saying,

“I understand everything.”

It is saying,

“I trust the One who does.”

📖 “Blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45)