During Advent this year, we will be working our way through a series titled: The Canticles of Christmas. Canticle comes from the Latin canticulum, meaning “little song.” During the Christmas story, there are three human characters who burst out in song in response to what God is doing in sending His Son into the world to bring redemption and hope.
When Mary realizes she’s carrying the Son of the Most High, she sings a little song we refer to as The Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55). When Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, sees God’s faithfulness, he bursts out in what is known as The Benedictus (Luke 1:68–79). And when Simeon beholds the newborn Jesus in the temple and realizes the Messiah has come at long last, he sings what is called The Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:29–32). These little songs contain big theology and stir our hearts to sing out in praise.
There’s a lot of hustle and bustle during the Christmas season. My prayer is that we’ll pause and let the wonder in. May these canticles of Christmas remind us of the beauty and majesty of God’s redemption that came to us in a manger. The hope of the world was swaddled in cloths. The Savior came in infant glory. Let’s join with Mary, Zechariah, and Simeon and sing again the wonders of the incarnate One.
For we are loved, more than we know!
