In the past few weeks we have taken a closer look at three of the great Biblical songs: the Magnificat, the Benedictus, and the Gloria. These are among four of the songs bestowed to us by the Holy Spirit through Luke’s account of the Christmas story. To conclude this series let us consider the last of these, the… Read More »
Throughout history, the Almighty chooses individuals who are otherwise ordinary and unremarkable to fulfill His divine purposes. Such was the case that Christmas night over 2,000 years ago. Dedicated, sleepy shepherds simply fulfilling their God-given vocation were surprised by a heavenly encounter. At first, one angel appeared announcing the birth of Jesus, the Savior. Then the night sky… Read More »
This week I would like to offer some reflections on the Benedictus, the song sung by Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. The Benedictus is the second of four songs that Luke records as he narrates Christmas story for us in the first two chapters of his Gospel.
From Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus come four important songs that have been sung now for over 2,000 years: the Magnificat or Song of Mary; the Benedictus or Song of Zechariah who was the father of John the Baptist; the Gloria in Excelsis or Song of the Heavenly Host; and the Nunc dimittis or Song of… Read More »
The Song of Habakkuk is a song for our time. On this, the Last Sunday of the Church Year, our thoughts are drawn to the end times and the prophecies regarding the Second Coming of Christ. Considering the events of the past weeks with terrorist attacks in Africa and France, threats of attacks in other parts of Europe… Read More »