Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Preface: This week, I reflect on the Responsorial Psalm, “which is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it fosters meditation on the word of God.” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 61)

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
From the Canticle of Zechariah, Luke 1:68

Benedictus is the first word of the Canticle of Zechariah in Latin, which is often used to refer to it, much like Gloria and Agnus Dei are used to refer to the first word in those parts of the Mass. The Benedictus comes up in the Divine Office (the Liturgy of the Hours) every day at the end of Lauds (Morning Prayer). It is forever associated with the morning in my head, while the Magnificat (the Canticle of Mary, Luke 1:46-55, referencing the first Latin word) concludes every office of Vespers (Evening Prayer). I tend to think of it in terms of the day’s end.

But why the morning? Perhaps if we remember the story of Zechariah and the miraculous birth of his son, John. According to the story, Zechariah did not believe his wife would conceive, so he was struck mute until he did. Once he acknowledged “his name is John” on a writing tablet (Luke 1:63), immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God: “Benedictus!” You can just hear him shout it. Well, not in Latin, but in Hebrew: “Berakah!”

This word would not have been uncharacteristic for a Jew to say so spontaneously and with joy. “The prayer for blessing [berakah] is the most frequently used in the Bible, and it is undoubtedly the most characteristic form of Jewish prayer…The blessing [berakah] is an ancient form of prayer that is often encountered in the stories of the patriarchs as a spontaneous form of prayer in the home.” What if we blurted out “Benedictus!” or “Berakah!” every morning? Imagine being mute for nine months! What would your first word be?

A canticle is a psalm of some sort, and this canticle may have been a Jewish Christian hymn, compiled of traditional phrases from the Old Testament. However it came together, it is a beautiful acclamation—in the morning—of praise to God for all He has done for us. Blessed be God!

Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB