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     On Monday, we read the Canticle of Mary (the Magnificat).  Today we read the Canticle of Zechariah (the Benedictus).  Both these poems are outlines of God's plan of salvation and contain echoes of prophetic oracles from the Old Testament.  The lines quoted above refer to the promise made to King David we read about in today's first scripture from the Second Book of Samuel: "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 s son to me.  Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever."  Every day in the Liturgy of the Hours (Morning and Evening Prayer in the breviary), these two canticles of salvation are read or sung.  

     There is a good reason for this.  The plan of salvation is still being worked out in God's good time.  Yes, the birth of Jesus (the Incarnation) is the major event that continues to live both in memory and daily practice, but it is not just his birth, but his whole life and ministry and death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit and everything after that which is contained in our celebration of his birth.  Maybe that's too much to think about as we gaze on the manger scene but it's all there just as it is all contained in Mary's and Zechariah's songs.  We can include it in our songs too!  AMEN