Love
Luke 1:39-55
This song is often referred to as The Magnificat because of its first words in the Latin version of Luke’s gospel. Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…Surely, from now on all generations will call be blessed” (1:46-48). This verse is an echo of Elizabeth’s pronouncement, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (1:42). When interpreting this passage, we’ve tended to tie those two blessings together by making the former dependent upon the latter – Mary is blessed because of the fruit of her womb. We could hastily reach this conclusion again if it were not for Jesus’ own rejection of this as the grounds of Mary’s blessedness. When a woman in a crowd says to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you,” he counters, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:27-28).
When we look at the blessing Elizabeth offers to Mary, we must also hear the last part of it that comes just before Mary begins to sing. Elizabeth says, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord” (1:45). Elizabeth recognizes that Mary is one who has heard God and obeyed God. God blesses Mary because she is a person of faith. She is blessed not because she can bear a child or because of any other quality that she possesses other than faith. She trusts the action of God even in the face of the danger of scandal.
We tend to see Mary as a passive player in this story. Perhaps, we have tended to see her that way not because that is how the text portrays her but because that is how our culture has tended to view women. If we look carefully, though, at the first chapter of Luke – his introduction to the gospel of Jesus Christ – we discover that the focus of this first chapter is upon two women, Elizabeth and Mary. Zechariah gets a little play but he is quickly silenced until the birth of his son. The entire movement of the introduction is carried in these two women. It offers anything but a passive picture of Mary. Luke wants us to see that Mary is a person of faith who acts in accord with her trust in God. Now the story hinges on her faith, her participation, and her presence in the unfolding drama. That’s the kind of story that scripture repeatedly tells – of blessed people. Not blessed because of some characteristic or possession but because they say, “yes” to God.
Reflection Questions
How has the presence and love of others helped you in a time of waiting for God’s movement in your life?
When have you given someone else the gift of noticing how God is at work in their lives?
What is being made new around you? How can you partner with God and others in this as an expression of faith?