Christmas Eve - 'And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High'

Readings:

Psalm 84, Isaiah 40:1-9, Luke 1:67-79 and 1 Peter 1:3-12

‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),  salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.’

Reflection 

We see in this beautiful, heartfelt response of Zechariah a contrast to his silent submission to God. Here singing a song of celebration at the birth  of his son, Zechariah speaks of external wrongs being righted and also the inner nature of God’s saving love. “The knowledge of salvation, forgiveness of sins (v77), light (v78) and guidance and peace (v79)”  point to the inward transformation. This saving grace is for all—for those who have gone before (v72) and the future “all our days”. It is for Zechariah and his son John the Baptist “a prophet of the most high” who precedes “the Lord.”

Emmanuel. God with us.  Lead us like Zechariah to a response of joy to receive the humility of the hope we find in Christ.

Prayers 

We shout and sing for you have come to us
Angels dance as creation bows to the Lord of all.
God bring us Christ’s peace
Christ’s light
Christ’s love

Amen