Luke 1:47-55: The Magnificat

Lectionary Cycle Year B: Third Sunday in Advent
Luke 1:47-55 (Read it on Bible Gateway)
The Magnificat
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The series will now be expanding and including unique readings from specific traditions when they are listed as exceptions in the Lectionary. This round, we have a bonus Gospel reading slated for the Third Sunday in Advent from the Catholic tradition.

This passage in Luke is the famous "Magnificat," the hymn of Mary. To give it some context, Mary has learned she is pregnant with the Son of God and has gone to visit Elizabeth, her cousin, who is also pregnant with her child, the future John the Baptist. Elizabeth reacts with wonder and joy, even as John leaps in her womb, when they greet the "mother" of the Lord. Mary, swept up by the greeting shares a song, or hymn of thanksgiving and praise. This is one of the few hymns preserved in the Scripture, outside the Hebrew Testament collection of hymns, better known as the Psalms. The hymn draws its title from the first word in the Latin Vulgate translation of the passage, which is the Latin word for "glorifies."

This is a beautiful song of praise and thanksgiving and gives us one of the best insights we have into Mary herself as it is one of the few places that we find her direct words in such a monologue. This passage alone presents the image of a profoundly spiritual woman, beautiful in heart and soul, who is confronted with what might seem an overwhelming task, yet greets it in faith with wonder, awe, joy and gratitude.

Imagine what Mary faced.

Imagine being called by God and told you would bear the Son of God. Confronted with the Divine in and of itself could be overwhelming. To be told that you would play such a significant role as to bear the Messiah, the Christ who would come into the world, well, that could be seen as beyond imagining. Yet Mary embraced that calling, responded with humility and grace and accepted God's role for her without question.

Now imagine all of that coupled with the challenges it would bring. Mary was young and unwed. While engaged to Joseph, their marriage was not consummated, thus she was still a virgin. To be found pregnant could mean a death sentence were she accused of having sex outside of marriage, and of breaking faith with her engagement to Joseph, were he to deny the child.

These might be some of the reasons Mary went to stay with Elizabeth for a few months, to get away from the whispers and gossip. She may also have gone to see Elizabeth through her pregnancy, to be a support and help during the final months of that, but it may also have been to 'lay low.'

Imagine facing those kinds of odds and those kinds of challenges in order to accept a calling with those kinds of responsibilities.

Is it any wonder that indeed this woman of powerful faith, strength, courage, conviction and grace is so lifted up in the Catholic tradition? While I do not agree with theological perspectives that would have anyone pray to, or through, Mary, I can certainly understand the thinking that comes from such perspectives. Here was a woman like no other, and I could only imagine what it must have been like to be in her presence. From her we can all learn a great deal about the depth of faith, and to her we all owe a great debt of respect and gratitude.

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