Today's Gospel: the God of Israel visits and redeems his people

(Lk 1:67-79)

At that time, when John the Baptist was born, his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke these prophetic words: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who visits and redeems his people. He has brought forth the power to save us in the house of David, his servant, as he has spoken by the mouth of the saints, through his prophets, from ancient times: salvation that snatches us from the enemy, from the hand of all our oppressors, the love he shows towards our fathers, the memory of his holy covenant; the oath sworn to our father Abraham to make us fearless, so that, delivered from the hand of enemies, we may serve him in righteousness and holiness, in his presence, all our days long.

You too, little child, will be called prophet of the Most High; you will walk before, in the face of the Lord, and prepare his ways, to give his people to know salvation through the remission of their sins, thanks to the tenderness, the love of our God, when we visit the star above, to illuminate those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, to lead our steps to the path of peace."

The Lord has always remembered his covenant. [...] The Lord does not forget, he never forgets. Yes, he forgets only in one case, when he forgives sins. After forgiving, he loses his memory, he no longer remembers the sins. In all other cases, God does not forget. His faithfulness is a memory. His faithfulness to his people. His faithfulness to Abraham is the memory of the promises he made. God chose Abraham to make his way.

[Election, promise and covenant are the three dimensions of the life of faith, the three dimensions of the Christian life. Each of us is an elect [...] the Lord has given us a promise, now he asks us for a covenant. A covenant of fidelity. Jesus says that Abraham rejoiced when he thought, when he saw his day, the day of great fruitfulness, his son - Jesus was Abraham's son (cf. Jn 8:56) - who came to remake creation, which is more difficult than making it, says the liturgy - he came to redeem our sins, to set us free. (Homily at Santa Marta, April 2, 2020)