And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,

to give His people the knowledge of salvation through

the forgiveness of their sins.

This word of life is part of the prophetic word spoken by the Old Testament priest Zechariah when his son John was born and his tongue was loosed. Before the words of the hymn and then further on it is written: “His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and saved His people, and raised up for us a mighty saviour from the family of David His servant, as He spoke by the mouth of the holy prophets of old; and He has saved us from our enemies and from the hands of those who hate us.’” (v. 67–71)

In verses 78 and 79, it is written that because of the mercy and grace of our God, He will visit us from on high to reveal Himself to those who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

Zechariah prophesies of his son that he will be called a prophet of the Most High and that he will prepare the way before the Lord and point to the forgiveness of sins through the spotless Lamb who is Jesus Christ. May God give many of our families children who will also become prophets of the Most High, witnessing to Jesus Christ and showing salvation in Jesus Christ to those who are in the darkness and shadow of the death of unbelief and sin.

John the Baptist was preparing the way of the Lord, and in the right time he pointed to Jesus as the One whose sandal strap he was not worthy to untie. Finally, we know that John the Baptist died a martyr because he preached the Word of God.

Contemporary Christianity, which is experiencing a deep inner crisis, needs men full of the Holy Spirit, needs God’s prophets. May not only children, but also parents, like the priest Zechariah, become such prophets.

When did the Spirit of prophecy come upon Zechariah and John the Baptist? It was when the Most Holy Mother of God entered and greeted Zechariah’s house. All were filled with the Holy Spirit, both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, and the child she was expecting leaped for joy in her womb, and she spoke a prophetic word. Mary is full of God’s grace, full of the Holy Spirit. That is why, even today, in an almost apocalyptic age, we need to renew a true devotion to Mary, as spoken of by St Louis Marie Grignion, whose motto was “Everything with Mary, in Mary, and through Mary”. And he adds: “and for Mary”. He also predicted that in these difficult times a new generation of true devotees of the Blessed Virgin, her spiritual sons and daughters, would arise.

Download: Reflection on Lk 1:76-77