Finally Mary can have joy and she begins to sing or speak her joy. Today we call these great words the Magnificat! I want to remind you of the joy of the day. At the church of Visitation you can see them on the wall in many languages behind the statue of Mary and Elizabeth. Mary’s heart almost bursts with joy as she sings this song that we have fondly called it the Magnificat…
Mary’s Song
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
The song is all about the story of Mary and of Joseph. Working class people and yet chosen from God. It’s a reversal of our world, is it not? A verse that is striking to me is verse 53. Scattered the proud and brought down the powerful. Lifted the lowly and sent the rich away empty. Remember Jesus’ words, the first shall be last…the last first! Humble your self in the sight of the Lord and you will be lifted up.
Hum, the rich! Now I would not call myself rich by any means but I certainly am not poor. I don’t have to be concerned about food on my table, clothes on my back and a roof over my head. In societies other than America, any of these basics are threatened or non-existent.
So does that mean I will be sent away because I am richer than more than 80% of the world? Adam Hamilton writes in his book: I see her words as an invitation. It is an invitation for us to humble ourselves before God and to be used by God to fulfill the first words of that line…to help the poor walk away full. I am called to share my resources and to pass along the blessings I’ve received. In seeking to bless and encourage and lift up other people, they are sent away full and I discovery what it means to be blessed. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable of the Last Judgment, in which he warns that on the last day the nations will stand before him to be judged. He will say to those who did nothing to help others, I was hungry, thirsty, naked and sick; I was in prison and a stranger, and you turned your back on me. Therefore, I never knew you. He sends those people away empty. But then he says to another group, I was hungry, thirsty, naked and sick, a stranger and in prison, and you welcomed me and loved me and cared for me. Enter into your rest. Well done. Hamilton continues: The Magnificat is a powerful reminder of an important dimension of God’s character and of God’s calling on the lives of his people. God cares for those who have been make to feel small by others and those who have nothing. God uses people to send the hungry away full. And God calls those who, n the eyes of the world, have been successful, to humble ourselves, to lift others up and to bless and help those in need.
Remember that God lifts up the lowly. Will you be a part of doing God’s good work through ministry at First Church and in the world? Will you be a part of sending the poor of heart, body and spirit away full? Allow Mary and Elizabeth to move you more deeply into your relationship with God in this season. Today, be determined to be blessed like Mary and be a blessing like Elizabeth!
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