Thoughts for the Day

Mary’s Song of Praise

'My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour 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 for ever.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Today we celebrate, to use her full title, 'The Blessed Virgin Mary', which brings some pitfalls for me knowing that these 'Thoughts' go to Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians across the world. However, I have thought for a long time that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is so special that we might want to do some fresh thinking about her. So I invite you all to use your imagination - picture a very young Hebrew woman - see Mary in your mind's eye as a real person:

• Mary was young girl, possibly 12 or 13 years old.
• Mary experiences a vision - she is to have a baby who will be God's Son.
• Mary might well be stoned to death for having a child before marriage.
• Mary must return from her cousin's house to face Joseph and the people of Nazareth.
• Mary's reaction to the news she is given, is to praise God!

Sometimes we forget that Mary was a real living, breathing, human being, that she would have suffered all the joys and woes of a human life (I like to think of it as 'the stone in the sandal syndrome' - without the ability to put a plaster on the blister!!) in a land controlled by Roman conquerors.

What makes this young woman superior is her depth of faith in God; in what He is asking of her; of the dangers she faces; and the conviction that Joseph her betrothed will support her in the years ahead when they will flee to Egypt and when she will give birth to Jesus' brothers and sisters (Matthew 13.55-56).

Today, let us thank God for Mary, who became the mother of our Lord Jesus who died for us and who intercedes for us at the right hand of God.

Father-God,
we praise You for choosing Mary
to be the mother of Your Son;
for her faith and love for You;
for her ability to transcend tradition;
for her work in nurturing Jesus as a child;
and for standing by him to the end.
May we never forget her role
in Your great plan to rescue Your people
and restore them to Yourself.
Amen.