Today in Scripture

Luke 1: 69-75  
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
     He has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
      Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
     This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

When is a psalm not a psalm? When it is a song, or canticle, from the New Testament, rather from the Book of Psalms (songs) in the Hebrew Scriptures (aka Old Testament). This "Canticle of Zechariah" is sometimes called the Benedictus from the Latin for "Blessed be..." the first words of this song of praise late in the first chapter of Luke's Gospel. The Benedictus is sung or spoken around the world every day during Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Even earlier in that same chapter of Luke we find the "Canticle of Mary", or the Magnificat (yes, Latin for the first words in which Mary gives glory to, or magnifies, God's greatness). The Maginificat is sung or spoken daily during Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.

In both canticles, individuals are responding to God's limitless ability to bring forth life, even in highly improbable situations. After all, Mary was a virgin, and her cousin Elizabeth (Zechariah's wife) was past child-bearing years. When we experience God's ability to breathe new life in otherwise barren situations, literally or figuratively, what response can we give but joyful praise?

This Canticle of Zechariah is used as the psalm in today's readings, following right after a reading from the Letter to the Romans about how through the gift of faith Abraham and Sarah, well into their 90's, became the ancestors in faith to us all. (Actually, Paul leaves out the best part of Abraham and Sarah's reaction to the news of their impending parenthood... go on, read through chapters 17 and 18 of Genesis - they laughed at the absurdity of it all!)

Blessed be the God of Israel, who comes to set us free....

• From what barreness in your life has God freed you?
• What in your life still feels barren, or restricting, or causes you fear?
• What makes you want to sing for joy?