Benedictus and Heralding the King
Gospel Reflection for December 24th, 2024 - Luke 1:67-79
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
On the eve of our Savior’s birth we get to read the Benedictus of Zechariah. A beautiful passage showing Zechariah’s awe at God’s fulfillment of His promises. This bold statement of faith recognizes that God’s long-awaited salvation is finally at hand and his son, John the Baptist, will be the herald, will be called “the prophet of the Most High.”
This passage paints a powerful image in our minds, images of glory, splendor, might, and mercy. Images of heralding kingship and forgiveness long awaited. It is a lovely bit of scripture to read today.
Yet, as I read it, I find myself reflecting on it’s relevance to us today. I see it in two parts.
First, today’s reading is a powerful reminder to give thanks to the Lord for the fulfillment of His promises. That no matter how long we have waited, or are waiting even still, gratitude should be upon our hearts and lips, ever praising the Lord our God for His goodness and faithfulness.
Second, as the world has strayed from the true meaning of Christmas, it is our privileged role to act as heralds of Christ our King to those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. We are not only celebrating His birth, which we will do shortly at Mass, but we are also heralding His second coming. We do this in the way we worship, in the way we pray, how we go to work, how we speak, how we love others and how we live our lives - in all things we speak, without words, of the King and the Good News.
Today’s passage is a challenge to us all. A challenge to find gratitude, to express it freely and openly, to live it out daily, but also to be unashamed in sharing our faith with all those around us. As we celebrate this Christmas, take a moment to reflect on the Benedictus, and ask God to inflame your heart with the courage to herald the coming of His Son in every aspect of our lives.
"Today’s passage is a challenge to us all. A challenge to find gratitude, to express it freely and openly, to live it out daily, but also to be unashamed in sharing our faith with all those around us." ... Amen!