We embark on Advent in the realm of real, present anxiety, shaped by the historical context of Herod’s time. The central divine command guiding this journey is “Do not fear!”

This episode delves into the manner in which God delivers this command, drawing parallels between past deliverance (Lamentations 3:55–57), where God “came near,” and Zechariah’s immediate terror as the promise materializes in “real time” (Luke 1:5–13).