Song of Zechariah (Benedictus)
Luke 1:67-79
His [John the Baptizer's] father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
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 fathers
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."
Mary's Song came when her pregnancy with God's Son was confirmed. Zechariah's Song comes after the birth and dedication of his son. Of course Zechariah was at a disadvantage. He was struck dumb by the angel when he questioned how his aged wife could bear a child.
Zechariah, it can be argued, should know better. He was a priest and as a priest he should have known the miraculous beginnings of his race. For Abraham and his wife Sarah were also advanced in years and Isaac was born when Sarah was 90 years old! With God nothing is impossible.
And Zechariah knows his Scriptures! We will see that in a table at the end of this meditation. Several psalms come to mind in Zechariah's words: "shadow of death" and "guide our feet into the path of peace" are two examples.
Zechariah is given his voice back only when he writes the child's name: "His name is John." This simple act signifies that Zechariah acknowledges the truth of the angel's words, that this child would prepare Israel for the coming Messiah. Thus voice is given to the faith and Zechariah utters his song. The song praises God and echoes the promises made to Abraham and through the prophets.
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