In this Canticle Zechariah is prophesying, not just the prophetic mission of John as precursor of the Messiah but also the redemptive mission of the Messiah in Jesus.“You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High. You shall go before the Lord to prepare his way…” And what is that way? “To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.” This spells out the difference of the coming Savior. He will be the face of the merciful and compassionate God, not of a vindictive judge demanding retribution. He will be like the dawn breaking upon us “who live in darkness, in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” He echoes prophet Isaiah’s oracle of the Messiah com-ing as a humble Servant of the Lord, who “will not break a bruised reed nor quench a smoldering wick”. He will take upon himself the suffering that is meant for us, sinless though he was, ready to give up his life as a ransom for the salvation of sinners. The mission of Christ is also the mission of the Church. We who are part of the Church are part of the body of Christ. He ransoms us so that we can be part of his redeem-ing mission. He gave up his life for the forgiveness of our sins, and now invites us to do the same for the world. That is why at each Mass we repeat the words that he said at the Last Supper,“This is my blood…which will be poured out for you and for many FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.” It is not enough to just remember what he did. He reminds us constantly to “DO THIS in memory of him.”