Something to hold on to

Once again, my friend, Colin, writes about the Old Testament, and I start thinking about the New.  This time, Colin discusses the covenant between God and the Israelites.  He goes on to describe his journey from the very start of his sobriety as living out a covenant--to follow where God leads.

Some time before I was willing to act to free myself from my problem, I returned to the Church.  During my return to the faith, I became attracted to the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as The Divine Office.  Devised as a means of "praying without ceasing", the Office is a prescribed set of Psalms and canticles from the Old and New Testament to be prayed by the ordained and members of religious orders.  The lay are encouraged to join these prayers in private recitation or as a group.

In three of the hours, morning prayer, evening prayer (or Vespers), and night prayer (Compline), we pray excerpts from Luke's Gospel.  In the morning, we encounter Zechariah's reaction to the birth of his son, John the Baptist.  In the evening, we hear Mary's Magnificat: "Magnificat anima mei Dominum...My soul magnifies the Lord..."  Finally, before we retire, we recall Simeon's reaction to the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple.

Each of the canticles from Luke is an expression of joy as  Zechariah, Mary, and Simeon understand that God has fulfilled his covenant with Israel with the birth of Christ.  Each of the passages are beautiful, moving.

During the very dark days, between my return to Catholicism and my halting steps toward sobriety, Zechariah's reaction to the birth of John the Baptist led me to believe that my situation was not hopeless, that there was the prospect of being renewed.  You can find it in Luke, Chapter 1, verses 78-79:

In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.