Every day in the morning prayer of the Church, we speak out loud the words of Zechariah. It is a song of the “tender mercy” of God. John’s father announces that soon “the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet in the way of peace.”
And so, each morning of the year the Church wakes up to the great gift of God which is the prophet’s call to repentance and grace. But now, on Christmas eve those words ring louder and the trumpet of salvation sounds more urgently.
John’s call to repentance holds out the hope that even now in the midst of corporate sin and popular greed, with all our deceits and hatreds festering within us, there is still time to walk out of darkness into God’s own wonderful light.
Scripture reminds us that John the Baptist was not the light himself but a messenger of He Who is the true light that is coming into the world.(Luke 1:8-9) The Lord Jesus who proclaimed Himself the Light of the World will bring His dawn to hearts that are open to receive Him this Christmas,