Thoughts for the Day

Mary's Song of Praise

And Mary said: ‘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.’

And Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Mary's song - the Magnificat - is seared into my soul as an Anglican. Sung first after my Confirmation aged 11 years old, when I joined the church choir. By the age of 15 we had moved a few times and I was singing in Climping Church choir until I joined the Air Force, cycling back and forwards morning and night for Matins and Evensong through dark woods and quiet roads. When I looked back I'm not sure I made much of the words of the whole song, but I felt my spirit lift as I sang the opening two lines from the Book of Common Prayer: 'My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour'. The sense of wonder and joy experienced by Mary at the news that she was to give birth to the Son of God, always filled me with a sense of peace and happiness.

Some years later in charge of a church choir the rest of Mary's words began to speak to me! They are absolutely revolutionary. The proud are to be dealt with - the Christian faith enables us to see ourselves as we really are! The rich are to be brought down and the humble lifted up - as Christians we are all equal! The hungry will be fed and the rich sent away - a Christian society is one where those with too much must alway give to those without too much!

Our faith is a revolutionary faith - isn't it?

Lord Jesus,
Your mother offered herself to God
and saw a world that was truly just
and righteous.
Help us to see ourselves as You see us,
to be humble and not proud,
and to be as generous to others
as You would wish.
Amen.