A final Advent reflection on Luke 1:46–55 and Luke 1:67–79, showing how trust and patience prepare our hearts for Christmas.
Praise be to Jesus Christ
The old man watched that flame for a long time. Then slowly, with effort, he stood up, walked forward, and lit another candle from the same flame. His candle trembled a little, perhaps because of age, perhaps because of emotion, yet it gave the same light. For a few moments, the two candles burned side by side. Nothing was said. But I felt something change. The chapel felt ready. Christmas felt very near.
It is not by chance that the Church gives us two songs on two different days. Yesterday, the song of Our Lady and today, the Benedictus, the song of Zachariah. It is good to place them side by side, especially on these final days of preparation.
Our Lady sings while the promise is still hidden within her. She has only God’s word to hold on to. Her song rises from trust. She praises before seeing. She believes before understanding. Her song teaches us how to wait with faith, with an open heart, without fear of the unknown.
Today’s song rises from a long road of silence. From a heart that has known delay, disappointment, and unanswered prayer. This song is not rushed. It looks back. It remembers Abraham. It remembers David. It recognises that God has always been faithful, even when it did not seem so. This song teaches us how to wait with patience, without bitterness, without losing hope.
One song is sung at the beginning of God’s work. The other at the moment when God’s work becomes clear. One comes from youth. The other from old age. But both are needed on the threshold of Christmas. Like the two candles, different in strength and movement, yet sharing the same flame.
Together they tell us something very important. God enters our life slowly. He first asks for trust. Then He teaches us patience. Finally, He fills us with peace.
This is very close to our family life. In every home, there are different voices: The young hope quickly, and the old remember deeply. When families listen only to one voice, faith becomes weak and unbalanced. But when both voices are honoured, when trust and memory walk together, the home becomes ready for God’s visit.
Saint Francis of Assisi once said that we should prepare a home for Christ not with noise, but with humility. These two songs prepare us in that way. One humbles us to trust and the other humbles us to remember.
On this last day of preparation, the Church teaches us how to sing before Christmas arrives: Not loudly, not perfectly, but truthfully. If our hearts can sing like Our Lady, trusting without fear, and like the Benedictus, remembering God’s faithfulness, then Christmas will truly be born within us.
Lord Jesus let me sing your praises always in my life
⇒If you find this reflection meaningful and fruitful, please share it with others
The Team Search offers retreats, reflections, and classes for religious and others on various biblical themes, the Eucharist, prayer, spiritual direction, Missiology, English phonetics (basic & advanced), Mariology, the Sacraments, the Desert Fathers, and more. We are happy to assist you if you find it hard to get a resource person for any Christian topic.
♦Contact: thesearch1994@gmail.com
6566bet1, cheguei pra testar e até agora tô impressionado. Os odds são competitivos e a variedade de jogos é show! Vamos ver se a banca sobe! Confere aqui: 6566bet1