THE LORD IS HERE TO SET US FREE

Thursday December 24

 Thursday of 4^th Week of Advent

THE LORD IS HERE TO SET US FREE

The promise made by the Lord was finally fulfilled with the birth of Jesus… God would set his people free by no less than his own Son. Was the promise finally fulfilled? It was the beginning of the fulfilment. Everything was there to make it real and effective, except the people who would have to put it into practice. For God created us free, and that means he relies on us, on our acceptance and cooperation, on our love. We have to let God make his peace and love come true among us. With and through Jesus. That’s why he came among us as one of us. Here I am, human like you. Look at me and see how it is to be done. Do it with me. I am with you and stay with you to give you the strength. Come, let’s begin. Now. 

Opening Prayer

Lord, loving and mighty God,

you fulfilled your promise to save us

when Jesus, your Son, became one of us.

We are no longer in the dark,

for you let your light shine on us.

Bring us your salvation now,

set us really free from our sins,

let us become fully human with Jesus

and go with him in your way of peace and love.

Let him be our strength,

our constant companion on the road,

that through him and growing in his humanity,

we may be your beloved sons and daughters.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Reading 1 2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16

When King David was settled in his palace,

and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,

he said to Nathan the prophet,

“Here I am living in a house of cedar,

while the ark of God dwells in a tent!”

Nathan answered the king,

“Go, do whatever you have in mind,

for the LORD is with you.”

But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:

“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:

Should you build me a house to dwell in?

“‘It was I who took you from the pasture

and from the care of the flock

to be commander of my people Israel.

I have been with you wherever you went,

and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.

And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.

I will fix a place for my people Israel;

I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place

without further disturbance.

Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,

since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.

I will give you rest from all your enemies.

The LORD also reveals to you

that he will establish a house for you.

And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,

I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,

and I will make his Kingdom firm.

I will be a father to him,

and he shall be a son to me.

Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;

your throne shall stand firm forever.'” 

Responsorial psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 AND 29

(2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;

through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.

For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;

in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant:

Forever will I confirm your posterity

and establish your throne for all generations.”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,

my God, the rock, my savior.’

Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,

and my covenant with him stands firm.”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. 

Alleluia

R: Alleluia, alleluia.

O Radiant Dawn,

Splendor of eternal light, the sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

R: Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 1:67-79

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

for 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 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 hand of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 

Commentary

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel

“And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed and he spoke, blessing God.”…


“The Benedictus, or “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel…” is prayed every morning in the Breviary, the Church’s morning prayer and so, the Church remembers this “forerunner of Jesus” at the beginning of every day. The day before yesterday we reflected on the Magnificat of Mary. Today is the turn of Zachariah, the Father of John the Baptist, to thank God for visiting his people to redeem them. God wants to redeem His people, all people. He weeps over the lost. He uses us to seek out the lost sheep.

But today, let’s reflect on what does it mean for Catholics, that we sing this song about John the Baptists at the start of every new day, and now on the eve of the Christmas? After having been “silenced” by sleep throughout the night, God opens our mouths and one of the first things we do, is to sing this blessing of God, whose dawn breaks forth to shine on us and guide our way to peace.
In the Benedictus, we join ourselves to the mission of St John the Baptist, who came to prepare a way for the Lord by being a witness of God’s salvation, living a simple and penitential life. Our work each day, then, is to use our voice – like Zechariah and his son – John the Baptist, to make God’s presence known wherever we go and whomever we meet up.”

In the song of Zachariah he foresees that : "the sun that rises from above will visit us ...". God continues to be with his people – visit his people. And each faithful receives the call to be the prophet to prepare the ways of God.

Would you dare to make a song to the Lord for the mercies you have received in abundance from your God? Are you joining this beautiful mission, to which the Lord invites you to? Do you have a beautiful wish, at the gates of Christmas?

 

Intercessions

–    For people who are hard and demanding, that God may make us sensitive to others and compassionate, we pray:

–    For those who feel especially these days how lonely and fearful they are, that their brothers and sisters in the Lord may bring them support and warmth, we pray:

–    For people who feel how empty their lives are, that they may find the Lord and learn from him how love and service can enrich them, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, our Father,

we join Jesus your Son in his feast meal

of the bread and wine of himself,

that we may become more and more like him

and live the way he lived.

Let a new era begin now;

let this food and drink make us free

to create peace among people,

to bring justice and love to our world,

and to walk together on the way

to your home of joy without end.

We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God, our merciful Father,

we have heard the Good News of your Son

and we ask you to fulfill it in us today.

Do not allow us to be still afraid

of committing ourselves to your dream

of a new heaven and a new earth.

Let the Spirit of Jesus be alive in us,

that everywhere there may be light instead of the dark,

justice where there is discrimination and inhumanity,

love where there is hatred.

Let your Son live and stay with us,

now and till we safely reach your home,

for Jesus is our Lord for ever. Amen.

Blessing

Blessed be the Lord our God who shows us his mercy and takes us up into his covenant of love. All praise to him. You, and all who are dear to you, receive the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.