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“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…” Luke 1:68–69
These words are the beginning of Zechariah’s song of praise,
traditionally called the Benedictus, which he prayed as soon
as his mouth was opened at the circumcision of his newborn son,
John the Baptist. Priests and religious pray this beautiful song in
the Liturgy of the Hours every morning. It recounts the whole plan
of salvation that God began with Abraham, outlines the role of the
prophets, and points to Zechariah’s son, John, as the “prophet of
the Most High” who will “go before the Lord to prepare his way, to
give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their
sins” (Luke 1:76–77).
As we prepare for the great Solemnity of Christmas Day, Zechariah’s
song gives us much to ponder. He begins by blessing God Who “has
come to his people and set them free.” Christmas is not only about
the Most High God Who took on the form of an infant long ago. It’s
also an ongoing coming to us by grace and the Sacraments. That same
Most High God continuously descends into our souls as He is made
visible to us in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
Therefore, each of us must sing Zechariah’s song with the same
vigor and conviction every time we attend Mass or encounter God’s
presence in our lives.
Why did God come to us? He came to set us free. Christmas must be a
time when we acknowledge the ways that our sin oppresses us. We
need a Savior. We need freedom. We need forgiveness. The only way
to be receptive to our Savior is to humbly acknowledge how much we
need Him.
We see this in Zechariah’s song when he speaks of the role his son
John would play in the whole plan of salvation. John was to give
God’s people “knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their
sins.” Seeing our sins is essential. Our culture tempts us to
downplay sin, to see it as normal or even acceptable. Some hold up
their sin with great pride. We must avoid being influenced by this
tendency and recognize our sin with clarity and honesty.
Understanding the kind of God we have greatly helps us to see our
sin and our need for a Savior. Zechariah goes on to say, “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.” Our God is not
only compassionate, He offers us a “tender compassion.” He did not
come to condemn, but to free us from “darkness and the shadow of
death” so that we could be led into the “way of peace.” Deep down,
we all want this. The only way to receive it is by listening to
John the Baptist’s preaching that we must acknowledge our sins and
repent.
Reflect today on the true meaning of Christmas. God became Man to
save us from darkness, sin, and death. He came to set us free from
all that binds us, oppresses us, and misguides us. He came to free
us from the evil one’s lies and the many ways that those lies have
permeated our lives and culture. Join with Zechariah today in his
song of praise for the gift of salvation, and strive to pray his
prayer with the same faith he had.
Blessed are You, Lord my God, for You have come to Your people
to set them free. Mighty Savior, as I prepare to celebrate the
great Solemnity of Christmas, please help me to see how much I need
You in my life. Without You, I am lost and live in darkness and
death. Free me, and help me to repent and to receive Your gift of
salvation. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Philippe de Champaigne, Public domain, via Wikimedia
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