Zechariah's Song (Part 1)

Sorry for the long entry today. It was just flowing so I went with it.

We’re going to take the next five days to focus on Zechariah’s Song, often called the Benedictus (Latin for blessed because of the opening line). Honestly, I find it to be highly-underrated. These opening chapters of Luke are almost always relegated to the Advent & Christmas seasons which are too often focused on Christ’s birth. Christ’s birth is not bad, of course, but the narrative of Luke 1-2 is much wider than the nativity scene. Zechariah’s song - particularly its culmination - is a beautiful and powerful statement of the good news of God’s redemptive work in the world. Though I will only focus on a couple of verses each day, I invite you to read the whole thing each day, linked above.

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Sometimes…I wonder if we have taken the notion of being “filled with the spirit” as overly-substantive rather than perfectly descriptive. What I mean is, the Church has often described and even prescribed it as an event rather than an explanation for what is happening in the moment (how one is acting).

Just for a moment, take the divinity out of it. What does it mean to be filled with “spirit”? There’s this notion of a particularly vibrancy of life that has come about, a sharpness of vitality and newness of action. When we put the divinity back into it (holy spirit), it’s all of the above, but initiated by God’s current presence and saturation with the character of who God is.

Does that work for you?

So Zechariah is in this situation as a direct result of the joy of receiving a new son whose role is to prepare the way for the salvation that will come in the Christ. And his first words are: Bless the Lord…

But let’s be careful. This isn’t simply about good feelings in the body or soul. Zechariah is specifically blessing the Lord because of the anticipated forthcoming action: deliverance.

Let’s be honest: Christmas is full of good feelings today based mostly on the joy of receiving (and yes, giving) good things from and to people we love. And for many others, it’s the joy and warmth that comes with taking a significant break from the grind and being with people immediate to us who we more easily love (family).

There’s nothing exclusively wrong with this. It’s resonant with the divine.

But it’s not the heart of the Christmas story. Or even the gospel story.

This is a story about salvation and deliverance, particularly for a people who feel totally out of control. That just might not resonate quite right for many of us who have a pretty good grasp on life.

But we who know these gospels know that it’s not about family time. It’s about God entering the world in Jesus to radically change the situation, to bring loving justice and mercy to all, but particularly those in desperate need.

God’s been calling for it.
People have been asking for it.
Jesus will deliver it.
John prepares the way.

…and Zechariah’s pretty pumped about it all. Filled with the holy spirit, indeed.

Luke 1:67-70

John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,

“Bless the Lord God of Israel because he has come to help and has delivered his people. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house, just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago.”

Jeremiah 23:5-6

The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous descendant from David’s line, and he will rule as a wise king. He will do what is just and right in the land. During his lifetime, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And his name will be The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

Prayer

God,

I’m not completely sure what it means to “bless you,” (because you’re God and all) but let’s do that to begin today. Bless you, God. Bless you because you don’t leave us where we are. You show up—always have, always will, though not always on my timing—to bring hope and deliverance. Thank you for keeping your promises, for being faithful even when we’re not.

Help us see the bigger story you’re writing, not just the parts that make us comfortable or happy. Fill us with your spirit, not simply that we can feel good, but so we can live boldly in your way—loving, forgiving, and working for justice.

Enable us to carry your light into the dark places today, in our hearts and in the world around us.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.