Our Advent journey is almost over. Our preparation to receive the Christ child is concluding. The Christmas celebration is almost upon us. We are so close it is like the morning just before the breaking of the dawn.
     The coming dawn, and the rising sun, is a perfect image of Christ’s coming into the world. His being born of a Virgin and placed in a manger. Jesus is the Light of the World, and this Light has broken the darkness. What was begun in the crib reached its completion on the Cross. His birth and coming into the world announced our salvation, and evil’s defeat.
     Every morning clergy and religious pray and important hymn of praise that is referred to as The Canticle of Zechariah. After John the Baptist was born, and was named by his father, Zechariah, his mouth was opened and he could finally speak again. You see he doubted the Angel Gabriel’s  message to him that his wife Elizabeth would become pregnant with a son, and so he was mute until God’s will became manifest to him. You can imagine the joy he felt both at seeing his newborn son, and that he could speak again.
     This hymn of praise of his mentions Jesus’ coming into the world, as we pray along with Zechariah, “The dawn from on high shall break upon us.” That dawn that broke upon the world was the coming of Jesus Christ. And He chose to come to us in a family of humble origin. He chose Mary and Joseph for this special purpose.
    Jesus as the Radiant Dawn is one of the verses in the song O Come O Come Emmanuel. He is the rising sun that gives us joy, comfort, and eternal salvation. The verses in this great Advent song compose the O Antiphons. The O Antiphons are part of Mass and Vespers beginning on December 17th. These days from Dec. 17th-23rd, which we are currently in, marks the period leading up to Christmas. Christmas is so close that we can taste it. The Church is so filled up with expectation that she begins to praise Him who will soon be born to us.
    We are again reminded of why this day is so great, why we begin decorating our homes after Thanksgiving, why there are so many favorite songs that we like to sing this time of year. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was born. May we not forget this. We celebrate on this day because our salvation was given to us. God became man in Jesus Christ. All of what we are looking for can only be found in Him. He fulfills us to the infinite degree.