Advent: December 16

Psalm: Luke 1:46–55

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
   For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
And 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 mighty from their thrones
   and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
   to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (ESV)

Luke 1:46-55 is the Magnificat: the political, religious, and social manifesto that Mary, miraculously pregnant with the Son of God, declares in the home of a temple priest who is married to her cousin.

A courageous, faithful, dynamic woman, Mary is confident that God has blessed her, that God has done a great thing for her, and that God is fulfilling his promises to all creation through her. This despite the surety of the public shame and marital strain of her supernatural pregnancy.

In this time of Advent when we are preparing for the coming of the Lord, let us sing the song of Mary, this song that marked the beginning of a life dedicated to God that Mary would live out until her old age: a witness and participant in the start of the Christian revolution.

Like Mary, let us celebrate the work of God in the world as he is bringing down corrupt powers, lifting up the poor and lowly, and feeding the hungry. Like Mary, let us be part of the alternative community of Christ that magnifies the Lord through our songs, how we start our days, the vocations we choose, the necessary work we did not choose, our feeding of the hungry, and our remembrance of his mercies.

Let us be like Mary.

Holly Carlson – Registered Nurse in Folsom, California

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