"My Lord Jesus Christ, Who, for the love You bear to mankind, do remain night and day in this Sacrament, full of pity and love, awaiting, calling, and receiving all who come to visit You; I believe that You are present in The Sacrament of the Altar; I Adore You from the depths of my own nothingness; I thank You for the many Graces You have given me, and especially for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament . . ." - Saint Alphonsus Ligouri.
The Benedictus (also known as The Song of Zechariah or The Canticle of Zachary), given in The Gospel ofLuke 1:68-79, is one of the three Canticles in the opening Chapters of this Gospel, the other two being The "Magnificat" and The "Nunc Dimittis". The Benedictus was The Song of Thanksgiving uttered by Zechariah on the occasion of the Circumcision of his son, John the Baptist.
The Canticle received its name from its first words in Latin (Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, “Blessed be The Lord God of Israel”).