This is the beginning of Zechariah’s “Benedictus” (from Latin for the first word, “Blessed”). It is part of the morning prayer for the Church every single day of the year. (Mary’s Magnificat is part of the Church’s evening prayer.)
In the days before electricity, there was a certain rhythm to life – light and darkness. Life was quieter then.
The first light of dawn is a symbol of God kindly greeting us. God is there to gladden our hearts, brighten our eyes, and get us ready for whatever the day brings. Nightfall is a reflective time.
Now, of course, there is morning TV and late night TV. Quiet time is hard to come by. We’re surrounded with TV time with reality shows or soaps that trap us in someone else’s world.
It’s the day before Christmas. This can be a hectic time. But there’s also a certain spirit in the air that easily lends itself to some good moments of prayer.
Don’t put God on “hold”. At least for a few minutes, tune in to the Lord.
Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
A Message to Earth
Apollo 8 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on December 21, 1968. It was the first mission to the moon with a crew aboard, and its purpose was to orbit the moon in preparation for a future landing on the moon.
On Christmas Eve, Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit and the crew began to relay back to Earth live television pictures of the moon and the Earth. They ended their broadcast by saying: “For all the people on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep…”
The three man crew, taking turns, continued reading the first 10 verses of the Book of Genesis, which ended….
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called the Seas. And God saw that it was good.”
Commander Frank Borman then added: “And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you – all of you on the good Earth.”