June 7, 2026
Sermon: “Meeting God in Curious Open Spaces” – Carol Penner – audio
Luka/Luke 1:5-25
Ku ngoma ya Herode umwami w’i Yudaya hariho umutambyi witwaga Zakariya, wo mu mugabane wa Abiya, wari ufite umugore wo mu bakobwa ba Aroni witwaga Elizabeti. Bombi bari abakiranutsi imbere y’Imana, bagendera mu mategeko n’imihango by’Umwami Imana bose ari inyangamugayo. Ariko ntibagiraga umwana kuko Elizabeti yari ingumba, kandi bombi bari bageze mu za bukuru.
During the rule of King Herod of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous before God, blameless in their observance of all the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to become pregnant and they both were very old.
Nuko ubwo Zakariya yari agikora umurimo w’ubutambyi imbere y’Imana, kuko umugabane we utahiwe n’igihe, ubufindo buramufata nk’uko umugenzo w’abatambyi wari uri, ngo ajye mu rusengero rw’Uwiteka kōsa imibavu. Muri icyo gihe cyo kōserezamo imibavu, rubanda rwasengeraga hanze.
Maze marayika w’Umwami Imana amubonekera ahagaze iburyo bw’igicaniro cy’imibavu, Zakariya amubonye arikanga agira ubwoba
One day Zechariah was serving as a priest before God because his priestly division was on duty. Following the customs of priestly service, he was chosen by lottery to go into the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense. All the people who gathered to worship were praying outside during this hour of incense offering. An angel from the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and overcome with fear.
ariko marayika aramubwira ati “Witinya Zakariya, kuko ibyo wasabye byumviswe. Umugore wawe Elizabeti azakubyarira umuhungu, uzamwite Yohana. Azakubera umunezero n’ibyishimo, kandi benshi bazanezererwa kuvuka kwe, kuko azaba mukuru imbere y’Umwami Imana. Ntazanywa vino cyangwa igishindisha cyose, kandi azuzuzwa Umwuka Wera ahereye akiva mu nda ya nyina. Benshi mu Bisirayeli azabahindurira ku Mwami Imana yabo, azagendera imbere yayo mu mwuka n’ububasha bya Eliya, asanganye imitima ya ba se n’iy’abana, n’abatumvira Imana azabayobora mu bwenge bw’abakiranutsi, ngo ategure ubwoko bwatunganirijwe Umwami Imana.”
The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the Lord’s eyes. He must not drink wine and liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. He will bring many Israelites back to the Lord their God. He will go forth before the Lord, equipped with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and he will turn the disobedient to righteous patterns of thinking. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zakariya abaza marayika ati “Ibyo nzabibwirwa n’iki, ko ndi umusaza n’umugore wanjye akaba ari umukecuru?”
Marayika aramusubiza ati “Ndi Gaburiyeli uhagarara imbere y’Imana, kandi natumwe kuvugana nawe ngo nkubwire ubwo butumwa bwiza. 20Nuko dore uragobwa ururimi, kandi ntuzabasha kuvuga kugeza umunsi ibyo bizakuberaho, kuko utemeye ko amagambo yanjye azasohora mu gihe cyayo.”
Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? My wife and I are very old.”
The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in God’s presence. I was sent to speak to you and to bring this good news to you. Know this: What I have spoken will come true at the proper time. But because you didn’t believe, you will remain silent, unable to speak until the day when these things happen.”
Abantu bategereza Zakariya, batangazwa n’uko atinze mu rusengero. Maze asohotse ntiyabasha kuvugana na bo, bamenya yuko hari icyo yerekewe mu rusengero, akajya abacira amarenga akomeza kuba ikiragi.
Iminsi y’imirimo ye ishize asubira iwe. Bukeye umugore we Elizabeti asama inda, abihisha amezi atanu aravuga ati “Uku ni ko Umwami Imana yankoreye mu minsi yandebagamo, ikanteturura mu bantu.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered why he was in the sanctuary for such a long time. When he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he gestured to them and couldn’t speak. When he completed the days of his priestly service, he returned home. Afterward, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She kept to herself for five months, saying, “This is the Lord’s doing. He has shown his favor to me by removing my disgrace among other people.”
BYSB, CEB