DAILY BYTEWe continue listening to some of the songs that were sung around the Christmas story, as recorded by Luke’s gospel. Yesterday we listened to Elizabeth’s song. It was a song of encouragement that pointed beyond Elizabeth’s immediate circumstances to Mary, and so enabled Mary to see the bigger picture of God’s promise and purpose for her life.
In response to Elizabeth’s song, Mary sings a song of her own. It’s become known as the Magnificat, which is the first word of the song in Latin. Hear it again:
And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor 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 forever."
(Luke 1:46-55 NRSV)
In reflecting on this revolutionary song Jim Harnish writes, “’The Magnificat,’ as this passage is called, declares the truth about your life and mine. The proud do get lost in imagining their greatness. The rich are easily possessed by their riches. The powerful become intoxicated with their power. People whose hands are full can never receive the gift. Mary shows us that only the lowly can be lifted up; only those with empty hands can receive; only those who are hungry can be fed; only those who are empty can be filled; only those who acknowledge their weakness can experience the power of God.”
Mary’s song expresses the good news of “the great reversal” of God, that turns the things that this world most values upside down, and exposes the futility of power and riches to bring meaning, sustenance and lasting significance to our lives. Of course, for those who think of themselves as rich and mighty, or who long to be, this doesn’t sound much like good news. Until the deeper truth of who we really are, is acknowledged, and that is that our self-sufficiency is really an illusion, and that ALL of us, from the ‘greatest’ to the ‘least’ in the eyes of the world, are wholly dependent upon God’s goodness, mercy and grace.
Mary’s song exults in this great truth, and in the greatness of God who works mightily in the lives of those who stand in vulnerable humility before him. How might this song find more resonant expression in your life today?
PRAY AS YOU GO
Lord, I acknowledge my love affair with power and riches. I acknowledge my yearning after popularity and social status. I acknowledge my deep-rooted self-sufficiency that fools me into thinking that I can handle things on my own. Forgive these arrogant delusions of mine, and remind me of my deep need for you. Thank you that you are a God who lifts up the lowly, and fills the empty with good things. Reveal to me the poverty of my life, that I might take hold of the abundance that you offer to me with your open, outstretched hand. I need you Lord. Amen.
