Magnificat

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.

- Luke 1:39-56

In the previous passage, Mary - who is a virgin engaged to Joseph - was given the news by Gabriel that she is to bear a son, who will be called the Son of God. Clearly the description given to her of this child, that is to be born of the Holy Spirit, is a description of the Messiah. In Gabriel's annunciation to Mary was also the news that Elizabeth was pregnant in her old age. In today's passage, Mary goes to visit Elizabeth who is her relative.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ Immediately, we are told from the text, the child in Elizabeth's womb leaps in recognition of the nearness of the Lord. Mary is called "God Bearer" in the ancient tradition of the Church, and the child in Elizabeth's womb will be his Forerunner, the herald who proclaims the imminence of the kingdom in Israel. Elizabeth's immediate recognition of the reality of this situation is seen in her greeting to Mary. Elizabeth's words to this day are used in the Church: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.'

In Mary's response to Elizabeth, we find the substance of prayer. This passage is known as the Magnificat, which is its first word in its Latin form. It is a hymn of praise to God from the heart of Mary. Mary is widely judged to be about 16 or 17 years old at this time in her life. As in the first reading from Luke's gospel, this prayer is reflective of predecessors and lineage: it reminds us of Hannah's inspired prayer, which had been prayed by expectant Jewish mothers for centuries. (See 1 Samuel 2:1-10.)

My study bible notes that there are many things declared in this prayer, from which we learn. We learn that "all generations will call Mary blessed." We see in Mary the historical Israel, as "His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation." There is a tremendous statement of justice here, and of the workings of the kingdom of heaven: "He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty." Right from the beginning, even before Jesus' birth, the good news of this kingdom in our midst is of mercy and justice. We learn also Mary's understanding not only of her own identification with Israel, but of her awareness of the One whom she bears in her womb: "He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever." This child of grace is the fulfillment of the promise of mercy and justice for Israel, by the power of the Lord who "lifts up the lowly."

Above all, beyond the promises that are fulfilled by the power of the Lord, beyond the justice and judgment rendered, the measuring up and the equality established in the words of this beautiful prayer, we understand one thing about Mary: her humility.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.

We still repeat the words of this prayer. "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant... for the Mighty One has done great things for me." As we consider these beautiful words, let us also consider how they apply to ourselves as we repeat it. How has God blessed you in your life? And how do you understand notions of God's justice, and of the workings of the kingdom, that Jesus will teach in the future readings in these gospels, such as the Beatitudes? How do these words apply to you? Do we not also share in this birth, of the kingdom in our midst, and this great blessing? God's mercy and justice blesses the humble, scatters the proud in their conceit, looks with favor on the lowly servants. At this time of the year, no matter what has befallen any of us, it is wise to consider how we are blessed, and the nature of the justice and mercy of God. As quoted from the note in my study bible in yesterday's passage, let us also be "God Bearers" of the kingdom in the world. Let us be like her. Let us remember these words in her prayer for ourselves as well, and rejoice in them, with her.