Gospel for the Day: Zechariah's Canticle

Around Christmas time, I usually have a spiel about celebrating Jesus' birthday as if he were still around (and not just commemorating his birth). I also wonder what Jesus' birthday celebrations (both when he was still around and after he ascended) would have been like.

But in this age of the internet, I thought I'd do a quick search on birthday traditions during biblical times.

Apparently, the Jews didn't celebrate birthdays and birthdays were only celebrated by two biblical characters- Pharaoh (Moses' nemesis) and Herod. The fact that it's these two folks who celebrated birthdays doesn't speak much about birthday celebrations from the biblical perspective. And it was during Herod's birthday, after all, that John the Baptist was beheaded.

There's a line in one of the readings cited below which goes something like this: it really doesn't matter when you were born. It matters more what you do with your life.

And in the Canticle sung by Zechariah in today's Gospel, he does celebrate John's birth (after all, he had been praying for a child ever since) but also prophesies what John will do with his life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

Of course Zechariah could sing this with a lot of confidence because he had inside information from the angel, Gabriel, that his son would be "great in the sight of the Lord". 

In a sense, then, if it mattered what their children would become, Zechariah and Mary were lucky in that they knew, even before their children were born, that these children would be widely acclaimed. I wonder, though, if they realized the suffering their children would have to go through. (not a very Christmassy thought I know :-). But the posts for the next few days will not be traditionally Christmassy either) 

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For some reading on birthdays and the bible, check out the following:
http://www.cogwriter.com/birthdays.htm
http://www.triumphpro.com/birthdays-origin.htm