Let me remind you of two biblical narratives which concern the announcement of unexpected births. In each case, the husband and wife are beyond the age when pregnancy is expected -- yet the Lord tells them that a son will be born to them.

In the New Testament book of Luke, we are informed of how an old priest named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were to become parents of the fellow we know as John the Baptist. Zechariah was at work in the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem when an angel appeared to him. This angel blurts out: "You are going to become a father."

As an aside, let me note that the appearance of an angel is, even under the most ordinary circumstances, a bit unsettling to anyone. The news this angel offers nearly prompts a coronary to this old man, Zechariah. For he is told that…