Mary recognizes God’s promises are being fulfilled and sings a praise song to Him.
Mary recognizes God’s promises are being fulfilled and sings a praise song to Him.
Advent Day 23, Mary's Song.
Mary receives and accepts the angel's words.
She will be the mother of the Messiah, the one sent by God to deliver his people.
What to do with the news?
She goes to Elizabeth, her older cousin.
There, Mary discovers she is not the only one to receive unexpected tidings.
Elizabeth, too, is with child.
In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth, Luke 1:39-40.
Mary receives news, and what does she do with it?
She shares it.
More specifically, she goes with haste to share it.
She can't keep the news in.
She can't keep the news to herself.
When have you received such good news that you couldn't keep it to yourself?
Mary overflows with uncontainable news.
If she were to try to contain it, she would burst, but she remains discerning.
She doesn't share her news with the first person she sees or even someone more closely related, like a sibling or parent.
Mary chooses Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, her cousin, faithful and devout, known for walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
Why do you think Mary goes to Elizabeth rather than Zechariah and neighborhood friend or another family member?
If anyone will understand Mary's news and be able to help her navigate it, it will be Elizabeth.
Elizabeth has devoted herself to the law, the prophets, and writings.
She knows the odd messages and strange yet perfect encounters that fill its pages.
Elizabeth won't be shocked by Mary's turn of events.
Elizabeth won't turn away.
Elizabeth will listen.
Elizabeth, devoted to following God, despite personal sorrow and suffering, will offer the wisdom that comes from above.
Luke 1:41-45 says, "And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And she exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
What do you think Mary expects to hear when she greets Elizabeth?
How might Elizabeth's words have been better than anything Mary hoped for or imagined?
Mary responds in kind.
As Elizabeth blesses her, Mary blesses God.
The blessing completes a circuit from God to a person, from that person to another person, and from that person back to God.
On and on the blessing goes.
Mary exclaims, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant, Luke 1:46-48."
How does Mary perceive God?
How does she see herself?
Luke 1:48-49 says, "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."
How is Mary's definition of blessed or blessing different from or the same as yours?
Luke 1:50-55 says, "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 and 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."
Mary says that God helps his people in remembrance of his mercy.
How is God's remembrance different from or the same as our kind of remembering?
When Mary blesses, she speaks scripture.
Listen to the psalm.
"O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."
Psalm 98:1-3.
Mary calls the law, prophets, and writings to mind and remixes them in a new song to God, her Savior.
She rejoices, for God has done marvelous things, not only for her, but also for her people.
Mary and Elizabeth both receive good news in the midst of societal unrest and personal sorrow, where they lived or anticipated.
Rome occupies the promised land.
The land God said would belong to the Israelites forever.
Elizabeth, as devout as she is, is known for being barren.
And Mary, Mary likely expects to be expelled from her circles once news of her pregnancy gets out.
And yet, both women overflow with praise.
They hope in God, who alone does wondrous things.
What do you need to call to mind in this advanced season so that you will have hope?
Jesus, too, is acquainted with grief and all too familiar with suffering.
Yet Jesus' life and words never portray hopelessness.
Peter describes Jesus as someone who entrusts or hopes in himself to God.
Jesus also entrusts himself to a young mother and Joseph.
Have you ever considered what it meant for Jesus, the Son of God, to entrust himself to human parents?
How do you think Jesus did that?
What do you think motivated him to surrender his throne for a manger?
Mary knows the scripture so well that they pour from her when she praises and blesses God.
How would you like to follow Mary's example?
What step will you take towards that?
Let's pray together.
Heavenly Father, thank you for telling us to sing new songs to you.
Just because millions of songs have been written or sung doesn't mean we shouldn't sing our own.
Teach us your words.
Teach us your ways.
Give us hearts of wisdom that call to mind the hope we have.
Always, in your Son Jesus, God with us.
Amen.