O Radiant Dawn
“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us.”
Anyone who has spent a sleepless night tossing and turning in the dark, or pacing the halls of a hospital, can appreciate the sense of hope which the dawning of a new day brings. Light changes our mood. We see possibilities that were not obvious in the darkness. A sick person who has survived the night may get better. Problems are not as large in the daylight.
The Song of Zechariah, or Benedictus, which we have read, is a song of hope. The first part speaks of God's fulfillment of the promise of salvation and redemption. Salvation frees us to serve God. Then we read of the forerunner, John the Baptist, coming to prepare the way. Repentance leads to forgiveness. Finally, we are promised a coming dawn.
For God's people, living in a dark world of sin, sorrow, and captivity, this promise of a Messianic Age came like a "radiant dawn." We, too, need to see the sunrise of a new day. Our world is not that different. There is still hatred, greed, and captivity to all sorts of addictions. We need to be guided into the way of peace. "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5 NRSV)
Reflection: Has the light of a "radiant dawn" shined in my life?
Prayer Seed:
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light,
Sun of Justice:
come, shine on those who live in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
The O Antiphons
