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Gospel: Luke 1: 46-56
Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Today’s Gospel passage contains the longest litany of words ever spoken by a woman in the New Testament – a song of praise from Mary.
She has just entered the home of her cousin, Elizabeth. Suddenly, John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth’s womb, causing her to praise and question Mary, “How does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Mary then erupts in song. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord! My spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”
Mysteriously, she transitions into the past tense. God “has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.”
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Why does Mary speak of things that God has already done?
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For a moment, she peers into the future, seeing the universal revolution that Christ will bring. Some say there are three revolutions, in particular – moral, social, and spiritual.
First, Christianity ushers in the death of pride. Only the humble can encounter God because God himself is humble, so humble that he becomes a child, now growing inside Mary’s womb. So humble that he will eventually die like a criminal on a cross.
Second, there’s a social revolution imbedded within Christian doctrine. In baptism, we see all persons as equal, no longer defining ourselves by caste or class. Together, we are children of God and the body of Christ on earth.
Third, Christ brings a spiritual revolution whereby we no longer worship the god of politics or seek to praise the kings of this world. Christ is our King.
Thus, our hearts detach themselves from worldly possessions, power, and praise, seeking only the things that are above.
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May Mary’s song of praise echo in our hearts this Christmas. Christ has come to cast down the mighty from their thrones, to lift up the lowly, and to fill us with good things.
Namely, faith, hope, and love.
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Image credits: (1) Catholic Central (2) Benedictine Sisters of Florida (3) Fra Angelico