“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.”
What beautiful words these are from the gospel reading for mass this morning. These words alone are enough to reflect on for the rest of the day. They contain the tenderness of God’s love for us, when He sent His son into the world, to heal us and forgive our sins, and guide us in the paths of holiness that will lead us to our Father’s kingdom.
Zechariah’s heart was filled to the brim and overflowing with love when he spoke these words in today’s gospel. Is it no wonder that his canticle has been recorded for all time and is a permanent part of the prayer of the universal church. His heart is so profoundly present in these words.
Can’t you just picture Zechariah holding his newborn son gently when he said, “You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.”
The rest of this passages is so beautiful, because it speaks of God’s profound and endearing love for mankind that flowed through each generation, and indeed continues to do so to this day. His tender care for mankind, cradled the world in love long before His son was laid in a manager in Bethlehem. God keeps His promises. He kept the promises He made through the proclamation of His prophets of old, when he sent mankind “A mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David.”
Who can think of a “mighty Savior” when you gaze upon the innocence of a newborn baby though? Many of us would have simply been caught up in the moment of admiring this precious, adorable, newborn life. All life is a miracle, without an exception, although Saint John the Baptist’s life was more precious than all the others in Christ’s eyes. For he later said that “there was none born of women that was greater than John the Baptist.” (Luke 7:28)
There was one born of a woman who was greater than John the Baptist though and that is baby Jesus. Today, as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth, we might keep in mind the journey that Joseph and Mary were on that day. Their journey can give us encouragement when our lives are not going so well either. Mary went into labor while traveling on a rough road, on the back of a donkey, with no place to spend the night. One could not imagine a more imperfect timing, or more difficult or inconvenient circumstances for the savior of the world to be born, but that is what happened. No one said life would be perfect, most of all, the Lord Jesus. Even the manner in which he chose to be born can teach us lessons of far greater importance than anything the world can impart.
Let us await the birth of the Lord, in peaceful stillness, surrounded by those we love tonight. This is the way Christ was welcomed into the world, in the silence of the night, surrounded by those who loved him.
The angels gathered and were yet unseen as they prepared to descend upon the earth in anticipation of his birth.
