December 24/Fourth Saturday of Advent
Christmas Eve
“You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.” ~ Luke 1.76
We are on the cusp of Christmas. The last Advent calendar window has been opened; the four candles on the Advent wreath have been lit; all the verses of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel have been sung (perhaps ad infinitum). The waiting that marks this season is nearly over — or is it? Today’s Gospel reading places the final attainment of joy just beyond our reach. For the child whom Zechariah heralds in his beautiful poem is not the Christ child whom we so eagerly await, but rather Zechariah’s own son, John the Baptist — the prophet who is not himself the light, but who comes to testify to the light. We are left, on this Christmas Eve, in a place of anticipation, certainly appropriate to the season of expectation, but also applicable to the rest of our lives, lives that are punctuated by waiting. And we are invited, on this Christmas Eve, to follow the example of the prophet of the Most High. Like John the Baptist, we can convey the good news of God’s saving presence to others. Like him, we can bear Christ’s message of repentance and forgiveness into the world. Like him, we can testify to the light that is Christ. We must not merely wait passively, expectantly, for the coming of God’s reign: we must actively work to bring that reign about with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our might. Our waiting is purposeful, it is grace-filled, it is imbued with the radiance of the light of God. And it is how we prepare the way of the Lord — today, tomorrow, and forever
Compassionate and generous God, Grant that our waiting may be both patient and purposeful as we watch for your coming in joyful expectation. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122424.cfm
To hear Orchester der Kölner Akademie sing “Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel: Et tu puer” (“And you, child”) by Girolamo Abos, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl29-vABcU4
To hear the full anthem in William Byrd’s beautiful setting for The Great Service, sung by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPe2G77h-WE
And since by statute (mine) every Christmas Eve must include a rendering of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” click here to sing along, my fellow herald angels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bwn0k0k8xI
May we all bear messages of God’s love and grace into the world in this season and beyond.
Merry Christmas!
