Advent II: December 24th
Gospel: Luke 1:67-79
The Canticle of Zacharias

Today is the seventh day of the second phase of Advent, and this evening, we will enter the eight-day celebration of Christmas. According to tradition, our mother church will hold a vigil Mass and a nocturnal Mass for the Nativity of Jesus, to help us properly prepare our hearts and minds, quietly waiting beside the manger in Bethlehem for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the gospel of today, we hear the hymn of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. Zechariah hesitated when the Archangel Gabriel announced to him, and thus, until the birth of John the Baptist, he became mute and unable to speak. However, when he saw all that God had spoken through the angel fulfilled in Elizabeth, and when he personally witnessed the birth of John the Baptist as promised by the Archangel, he sang this wonderful hymn.

In this hymn, Zacharias elucidates the great power wielded by the God of Israel upon His people from the time of the Old Testament era until the birth of John the Baptist (cf. Luke 1:68-75). He also mentions the mission of John the Baptist (cf. Luke 1:76-79) as an example for us.

Today, we too should emulate Zacharias and experience God’s love in our lives, always praising God for all that He has done for us, and extolling Him from the depths of our hearts.

Zechariah, please pray for us. Amen.

©Totus Tuus 2025
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025