TUESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2024
TUESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT C
2 Samuel 7:1-5.8-12.14.16
Luke 1:67-79
ZECHARIAH’S CANTICLE OF PRAISE: A CALL TO FAITH
The praise that issues from the lips of Zechariah as his tongue was released and his speech was restored him is an indication of his acknowledgement of the powers and plans of God for his people Israel and the world. Great and marvelous works is being done by God. It was a great realization for Zechariah.
He came to terms with the plan of God. He now understands clearly the whole salvation history, the importance of his religious believes, his being loved by our God and the mercies and kindness of our God. In this canticle of praise, said to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, Zechariah details how this salvation was planned in Abraham by God our Father.
Zechariah recalls that this salvation was promised Abraham, set in motion in David and intended for his people Israel. God’s plan of salvation is therefore willed to reconcile man with God himself and that man may serve God in holiness and uprightness. And he goes on to speak of the role of John as the one to prepare the way for Jesus.
Relishing the content of the great mystery of our salvation, of which Zechariah has come to understand and appreciate, he became filled with the Holy Spirit and as a high priest, he revealed the secret plans of God in this prophecy.
In this canticle, we observe the joy, the zeal and the spirit of Zechariah which tends to suggest a great reawakening of his life and mission as a priest. He relived it in prophesying the great plans of God for man and man’s salvation. It is never too late to begin again, this seems to be the idea of Zechariah. That though he disbelieved before now but he has come to appreciate the plan of God and is actively putting it forth so that all may know, accept and abide by it.
By so doing, Zechariah plays his part as a prophet of their time, confirming the coming of the saviour and proclaiming the great plans and benefit that God’s salvation portends for humanity.
We, as Christians need to reawaken ourselves from our slumber and begin to believe in the coming of Christ. We must invest ourselves also with the realization that God’s salvation in Christ is planned, real and for our salvation and we need to key into this immensely as well as seek to be righteous, upright, holy and sincere with our God.
In the style and manner King David in our first reading sought to build God a temple, we need to begin considering building a house for our God. We must begin with the desire and grow from there. Be sure that God will enlarge our desires, accept them and bless us greatly as he blessed David.
God our Father, as we approach the feast of the birth of our saviour, we beg you to well up in our hearts the desire to live upright lifes filled with longing to stay with you. Bless us with your presence, your graces and favours. May the celebration of the birth of your Son inspire us to draw nearer to you, to drop our wicked and senseless life, to turn to you fully and unreservedly for the rest of our lifes through Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
