Mass in the Morning
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| “Canticle of Zechariah” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN |
Readings for December 24[1][2]
Reading 1: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
When King David was settled
in his palace,
and the LORD had given him
rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the
prophet,
“Here I am living in a house
of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells
in a tent!”
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in
mind,
for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke
to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David,
‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house
to dwell in?
“‘It was I who took you from
the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel
I have been with you wherever
you went,
and I have destroyed all your
enemies before you.
And I will make you famous
like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my
people Israel
I will plant them so that
they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked
continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first
appointed judges over my people Israel
I will give you rest from all
your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a
house for you.
And when your time comes and
you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir
after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom
firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom
shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm
forever.’”
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Commentary on 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Within the historical books of the Old Testament (1 and 2 Samuel,
1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 and 2 Maccabees), this
passage is considered to have the most theological significance. Nathan’s
Oracle – the establishment of the dynasty of King David marks the beginning of
the understanding of royal messianism, our first hint of the Messiah to come.
In this passage, Nathan is told to tell David that, while he would
not build the Temple
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the
Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will
sing forever;
through all generations my
mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My
kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed
your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with
my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my
servant:
Forever will I confirm your
posterity
and establish your throne for
all generations.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are
my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my
kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him
stands firm.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
Though Psalm 89
is a lament, this first section is prophetic and reiterates the Davidic
Dynasty. The intended support for 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 is clear. It is likely this hymn was sung,
entreating God and reminding the people of the covenant established with David
to “…establish your throne for all
generations.”
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Gospel: Luke 1:67-79
“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.”
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Commentary on Lk 1:67-79
St. John the Baptist had been born to Elizabeth and the seal that
the Lord had placed on the mouth of his father Zechariah had been lifted when
he had named his son in accordance with the wishes of God. We are given the Canticle of Zechariah, the
father’s song to his son, praising God and predicting the role his son would
fulfill in God’s plan as herald of the Messiah’s arrival. The whole Church sings this song each morning
as part of the Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.
The canticle is broken into two themes. The first praises God for the salvation he
sends through the line of King David. He
uses imagery like that found in Isaiah's description of the messianic era (e.g.
freedom for the captives, peace and freedom to worship God). The second theme addresses the mission and
vocation of his new-born son, now named John (who will become the
Baptist). In the strophes of that
section, a loving father speaks of how John will play an important part in
God's revelation; announcing the arrival of the Messiah ("...to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness
of their sins.") and bringing hope to those who are hopeless and peace
to the world.
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Reflection:
The
preparation for the Advent of our Lord is nearly complete. With the exception of a few preparations and
last minute details, we take a moment to recall God’s plan and make ourselves
ready to accept the gift long expected.
For those of us who pray the prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the
Hours, the Canticle of Zechariah is one familiar to us. Each morning we recall the words of one
smitten by God and released from silence to sing of a promise fulfilled.
We
can only guess at the mind of Zechariah as he sings his prophetic song. His first words are in praise of God the
Father whose promise is fulfilled with the coming of the Messiah. We see in his expectation how easy it would
be to get the wrong idea about the sort of entrance this savior, predicted from
the time of Abraham, would make. The
Savior was to be born from the house of Kings – of King David’s line, King
David who was a mighty king and fierce warrior securing the land through force
of arms with God the Father sitting at his shoulder scattering Israel’s foes
like match wood.
We
see the truth of his great oracle in Jesus, but we also see how Zechariah’s infant
son, John the Baptist, to whom he now sings, could have misunderstood and
later, while he was in Herod’s prison, have sent his own disciples to ask the
Lord if he was the one expected or if they should look for another. The song, however, sees the promise of God
fulfilled, the promise made to all mankind throughout the history of that
covenant.
We
can almost see the eyes of Zechariah turn from their heavenward gaze to look at
the infant in his arms. We hear his
voice change from one of awe and praise to one of tenderness as he tells his
son “You, my child, shall be the prophet
of the Most High”. We wonder how
much God has shown this priest of the Temple.
Does he know this baby he now holds will shake the foundations of the
Temple he serves? Does he know that by
preparing the way for the Savior to come, he exposes the weakness of those in
power to submit to God’s own Son?
Clearly,
Zechariah sees the love of God embodied in the coming Savior of the world. He tells his son “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.”
All that this father, Zechariah, hopes for his son; Our Father in heaven
hopes for us. It is echoed there -- his love, his compassion,
his care for those who are lost, it is all there and in it we hear the parent’s
prayer for their children.
The
one who Zechariah sang about is almost at our doorstep and we pause and hope
our hearts are prepared to accept the gift of a loving Father who will “…guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Pax
[1]
ALTRE
[2]
The picture is “Canticle of Zechariah” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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