Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.” vs. 68
Luke 1:68-75
As Luke studied all the writings available to him following the destruction of the temple he came across the song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and there he found exactly the word of hope he had been looking for. For centuries the people of Israel had considered themselves the Chosen Ones of God, but with the absolute destruction engineered by the Roman armies, many had given up. But Luke says in effect, “Not so fast!” He told his readers that in the midst of the turmoil two children had been born, the Messenger and the Redeemer, and those two births were a sign of God’s continued love and constant protection. By including the Benedictus, as the Song of Zechariah has come to be known, he gave all the credit to the Lord God of Israel. In his gospel the story of Jesus would be forever connected to the ancient stories of the prophets. It’s good for us to keep that in mind as we move into the season of Advent. Our annual repetitions of the Christ story keep us grounded in ancient truths. In an age when technology has taught us to worship innovation, our faith reminds us that our origins are of old, and that God is our benevolent Creator. And for that we offer God our deepest thanks and praise!
Thought for the Day: Why do some folks have no interest in the past?
0 Comments