
Through Saint Luke God gave us two beautiful canticles: The Magnificat and The Benedictus. The Magnificat is the Blessed Virgin Mary's prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God. The Benedictus is Zachary's prayer of thanksgiving for John the Baptist and for Jesus, whose very name means "Saviour."
In The Magnificat, Mary says that God "has looked upon his lowly servant." Weren't the hobbits small and humble and lowly? "He has scattered the proud in their conceit." Saruman was defeated by the humble and lowly of Middle-earth and his Uruk-Hai were scattered by the bright light from Gandalf and the valiant, self-less fighting of Aragon, Theoden,and the Men of Rohan. "He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly." Once the Ring had fallen into the Crack of Doom, Sauron came toppling off his throne to become a merely a foul spirit, ever gnawing itself in the dark, never more to take bodily form, with his orcs dispersing like ants awaiting the foot of a man, and the hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were exalted at the coronation of King Elessar. "He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty." Jesus feeds the Catholic Christians who hunger for his love with the Bread and Wine of Life, his very own Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist, while unrepentant sinners can get no grace and nourishment from this wonderful sacrament. The starving and afflicted hobbits, especially Frodo and Sam are fed with the life-renewing Lembas (bread-like prefigurement of the Holy Eucharist), while the orcs go hungry because they cannot eat such good, wholesome food. They don't like it!
In The Benedictus, Zachary said, "In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." The ancient Israelites and indeed all the world dwelt in darkness as they awaited the coming of the Messiah King, the Anointed of God, Jesus the Christ. It is significant that in Old Covenant times, before God-Incarnate was born and walked the earth, there were many more diabolic possessions than there are now under the New Covenant. The world was dominated by the Prince of Darkness. Now the world has been redeemed by the Prince of Light, the truly Tender and Compassionate One. Satan has less sway. The Light has entered. The Dawn has come. Death shall be no more. During the Third Age, the people of Middle-earth dwelt in darkness and under the shadow that spread from Mordor, but they were saved from the darkness once the One Ring to Rule Them All had fallen into the Crack of Doom and been unmade.
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