Light Over Darkness

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.” (Luke 1:67-79)

Today’s reading is a version of the morning prayer (Lauds) found in the Liturgy of the Hours. It is based on the canticle, Benedictus, that reads:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.

He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.

Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

We read: “…one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace.”  Many of us walk in darkness and live in the shadow of death through illness or old age.  We must remember that Christ leads our feet in the path of peace.  Christ is with us.  We are not alone.  We share the bottomless mercy of our God.  We will walk out of that darkness into light.

Darkness also is an attitude of fear and depression most of us share as common feelings.  Wintertime does not help with so few hours of light.  Nevertheless, we are about to celebrate our Savior’s birth, and the days are beginning to get longer.  These are reasons for hope and to heed Jesus’ command that we must not fear.

Deacon David Pierce